


Bear with me

by 28sunflowers



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alpha Nick Grimshaw, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Endgame Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Happy Ending, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Harry Styles, Omega Louis Tomlinson, Pregnancy, Sad with a Happy Ending, Smut, Surrogacy, mentions of past abusive relationship, nick is an asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:14:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 46,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28129704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/28sunflowers/pseuds/28sunflowers
Summary: Harry’s and Nick’s dreams of building a big family together come crashing down when they learn Harry is infertile. As the mates drift apart and it all feels hopeless, they decide to try one last shot at their happy ending: surrogacy.But try as they might, the one fact that remains true is that children don’t save broken relationships. Sometimes things just aren’t meant to be.And maybe, Fate has better plans in store for Harry.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Nick Grimshaw/Harry Styles, Nick Grimshaw/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 56
Kudos: 182
Collections: OmegaHarryFicFest





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you [Kanishka](https://missing-ot5-1d.tumblr.com/) for basically holding my hand and getting me to keep writing this fic and thank you [Emma](https://sashinalash.tumblr.com/) for all the help making it better. I'm really grateful to have found you both ♥
> 
> Attention: all explicit content is warned at the beginning of each chapter. If someone feels like I should add a specific tag or any type of warnings in the fic, feel free to message me on [my tumblr](https://vintageumbroshirt.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Written for prompt #14: Harry is an Omega, bonded to an Alpha for many years, but never had children due to infertility. They grow apart because the Alpha is very traditional and had expected his mate to produce Alpha heirs. They discuss all the options. Harry wants to adopt, but the Alpha makes up excuses like that he’s concerned with the scent of the child not being his. He wants to continue his bloodline and decides to use a surrogate. Omega B is chosen as their surrogate. Harry is very involved in the pregnancy but the Alpha refuses to be around the surrogate. Around the beginning of the second trimester, the Alpha dies/leaves. The surrogate comforts Harry through the loss of a mate. The two Omegas fall in love and raise the child together.
> 
> If this is your prompt, let me know what you think of the fic! I apologize because it was my first time writing A/B/O but I tried my best to please ❤️

Harry finally lets himself wrinkle his nose in mild disgust as he closes the door behind the Omega leaving their house.

His name was Jake, and from the moment he stepped into their house, Harry knew he wouldn’t be his and Nick’s chosen surrogate. Sure, the man’s scent wasn’t bad, per se, but it was completely incompatible with Harry’s. He is certain Nick felt the same, if the way he conducted the interview in a short and overly polite manner was anything to go by. He was stiff, clearly bothered by something, even though Harry thinks they both did a good job of hiding what was bothering them to Jake. He wouldn’t want the Omega to be offended or upset.

He stalks back to the armchair Nick’s sitting on and climbs on his mate’s lap, slotting his face on the Alpha’s neck and breathing in deeply. It easily calms him down, both cleaning his airways of the unpleasant smell and calming down any fear of the scent having clung to Nick’s. Harry can feel his body sag in relief.

Nick's hands are rubbing his back gently and he’s scenting Harry back, probably just as unsettled by things as Harry was.

“Maybe this won’t work,” Nick says, nose still pressed against Harry’s hair.

Harry makes a soft protesting noise, “He was just the third candidate, Nick. We will find a surrogate. We just have to be patient.”

Harry pets Nick’s shoulder lightly, hoping it comforts his mate without feeling demeaning. Nick doesn’t reply, just hugs Harry closer to him and inhales his scent more deeply. They sit like that for a few more minutes, until any traces of the strange scent are gone. Then Nick nudges Harry lightly, putting some distance between them. “I need to go back to work. Will you be fine on your own?”

“Yes, of course,” Harry reassures him, “I’ll have dinner ready when you come home.”

The perks of being mated with a high-ranking Alpha in their pack. Nick decided, early into his relationship with Harry, that having dinner together was important, resulting in the Alpha shifting around the schedules of his pack duties so he could make it home in time for it every day.

For a few months, in the time between discovering Harry’s infertility and the decision to hire a surrogate to bear their pups, Nick started working late. The tradition was slipping from them and Harry felt the burden of it deeply. His inappropriateness for not being able to carry his Alphas’ pups, mixed with the clear distancing between the pair and not being allowed to at least feed his Alpha, really put him in a bad place. There were months weighed down by sadness, self-doubt and loneliness.

This now, their solution, is much better. Nick has been coming home more often for dinner, almost every night, probably having to slowly free himself from the night duties he’d taken on. Harry felt almost whole again, hopeful that it will only get better from here. Every couple has rough times, and he is proud to say him and Nick are overcoming theirs.

“That’s perfect, Omega,” Nick kisses his temple after they’re both standing, “Thank you for taking care of me so well.”

Harry’s Omega instincts preen at the compliment and Nick calling him by his title. It’s not common, used only on special occasions. It is usually when Nick’s feelings towards the Omega get the best of him, when he thinks Harry needs reassurance and extra caring or sometimes to harshly scold bad behavior. Harry isn’t sure which one of the first two it was that prompted it this time, but either one is fine by him. He loves it when Nick calls him Omega in a positive tone.

Harry sees Nick out, wishing him a good day before locking the door behind him. Once he is alone, Harry puts on some music and lets himself get distracted by the day’s chores. His Alpha will have a good, clean home and a warm meal to come back to.

\-----

The Omega standing in front of Harry smells wonderful. After the displeasing scents of the earlier four candidates, Harry is completely taken aback by the sweet but tangy scent that makes him think of cinnamon and nutmeg. It must show on his face easily, because the Omega eyes him up curiously, a small smirk on his lips. He thrusts a hand towards Harry, “I’m Louis Tomlinson, here for the surrogate interview with Nick Grimshaw.”

Harry breaks himself out of his stupor, straightening his back and offering Louis an enthusiastic smile, “Nice to meet you, Louis. I’m Harry, Nick’s mate.”

They shake hands and Harry steps aside so Louis can come into their home. He closes the door behind them and signals for Louis to follow him, “He’s waiting for us this way.”

Harry takes them to the living room. Nick is seated on his usual armchair already, watching the entrance. As soon as his eyes land on Louis, his eyebrows raise but he doesn’t say anything. Harry wonders if the lovely scent hit him as hard as it did Harry. He hopes so, he already wants Louis as their surrogate.

Louis stops within a good distance of Nick, as is customary, before bowing his head respectfully in greeting, “Alpha.”

The acknowledgement of his title puts a trace of a smile on Nick’s face and Harry is pleased. If Louis keeps playing his cards right, he will leave their house with a surrogacy contract to read over and sign.

Harry quietly makes his way around the living room and sits down on the chair beside Nick, like it is expected of him.

Nick motions to the couch across from them, “Please, call me Nick. You can take a seat.”

Louis does so easily, seemingly comfortable in the situation he is in. Harry wants to ask him if he has done this before for other couples.

“Louis Tomlinson, right?” Nick asks.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Are you comfortable with surrogating for me even though I already have an Omega?”

The question is bold and it makes Harry fidget a bit. Nick has never started off with it like that. Maybe he is testing Louis.

Louis looks a bit taken aback but recovers quickly, “Yes, it wouldn’t change my part in the agreement anyways.”

Nick hums in satisfaction to the answer, “Have you done this before?”

Harry watches Louis’ reaction to the question closely. Nick also noticed Louis’ ease–of course he did.

But if Louis wasn’t expecting the question, he doesn’t show it.

“I have, a couple of times,” Louis replies truthfully, before his face takes on a more defiant expression, “Will that be a problem?”

“Not at all,” Nick chuckles, clearly amused, “Experience might be even beneficial to our situation.”

Louis nods, “Can I ask questions in return? It’s just... my other contracts didn’t include someone else who could carry in the mix.”

“Then there’s nothing different from our case.” Nick sounds annoyed, put off that Harry’s capacity to bear his children was questioned. Harry thinks it is a weird reaction. Louis’ questioning was fair, given the situation they’re in. But he remains silent. His opinion was not requested.

Louis’ eyes move to Harry and he gives him a sympathetic smile, making Harry feel understood in a way he hasn’t in a long time, “That’s rough, I’m sorry.”

Harry smiles gratefully in return but still doesn’t say anything.

Nick waves off Louis’ apology. “I’ll go through the list of things we expect of you, were you to get pregnant with our pup, and we can talk about what you’re okay with and negotiate what you’re not. Sounds good?”

“Excellent,” Louis agrees, so Harry lets himself zone out. He knows the list by heart now, having discussed it endlessly with Nick before interviews started.

There are some things Nick will be willing to allow if Louis asks for them, like maintaining a job that’s not heavily physical or studying. They both agreed that they need the Omega to live with them, though, so he hopes Louis doesn’t object to that. It will make it easier for them to bond with the baby, if they’re there for the pregnancy and get used to its scent as it grows in the womb. Harry himself would need to feel as involved as possible, if he wants the little voice in the back of his head calling him a bad mate to be less loud.

He watches as Louis listens and offers his input to Nick. Now that he isn’t overwhelmed by both Louis’ scent and having to pay attention to what he says, Harry takes his time to look at him. He is very pretty. His nose is delicately round and his eyebrows nicely curved. His cheekbones are prominent on his face, but not in an intimidating way. Truly, pretty is the best word to describe him.

His hair is a bit lighter than Harry’s and straight, looking soft as it falls in bangs across his forehead. Harry noticed when the Omega walked in that he was shorter than Harry by a couple of inches, but then again, he is somewhat taller than most Omegas. He takes in Louis’ thighs, which are thicker than his own, and the curvy dip of his waist. Louis is very attractive, especially as an Omega.

Harry frowns a bit to himself, hyper aware of his lanky frame, even though he’s been working out to put on some muscle on his legs and bum. That should’ve made him notice there is something wrong with him. He has never been physically appropriate for an Omega.

He is still cataloging Louis when he processes the words that just came out of the man’s mouth: _how do you want the fertilization to happen?_

Harry freezes a bit. No other candidate got to this point in the conversation before, which probably means Louis and Nick have agreed on a lot of things. Their situation suddenly feels very real, making Harry hold his breath for Nick’s answer. 

He knows what it will be. He knows. But the realization that things will be happening in the near future brings some panic up to the forefront of his brain. He tries taking a few slow breaths to get a hold on himself.

“Well, I actually wanted to try doing it traditionally,” Nick answers him carefully.

Louis looks baffled by that. “You want to have sex with me?”

“No,” Nick still sounds composed and Harry really admired that about the Alpha, he would probably stutter his way through this topic, “I want to get you through your next heat.”

Harry didn’t think Louis could look more shocked, but he did. His mouth drops open and he stares at Nick. His eyes move to Harry for a second, then his face hardens a bit.

“What about Harry?” He points to the Omega.

Harry probably looks like a deer caught in headlights as Nick turns to look at him too. He relaxes a bit when Nick pats his knee, both possessively and reassuring.

Nick turns back to Louis, “Everything I’m discussing with you was decided by Harry and I previously. You don’t need to worry about my Omega.”

The Alpha’s tone leaves no open door for discussion. Louis frowns, looking reluctant, but he probably deems that it is not an argument worth buying into as his eyes travel between Harry and Nick.

“Okay,” he says, clearly not happy but going along. “And how would that work, then? Would I come here to spend it with both of you?”

What an outrageous idea. Harry almost snorts.

“Of course not,” Nick is quick to shut it down, “Harry can’t impregnate you and I can’t impregnate him, so having him there is counterproductive. And bringing another Omega’s heat scent into our home might cause him immense distress. No. I suggest I rent us a heat room in a hotel.”

There is silence after that. Louis seems to be mulling over the information given to him. Feeling strangely vulnerable because of the conversation, Harry uses the opportunity to reach out to Nick. Thankfully, the man accepts his approach and grabs Harry’s hand in his, holding them on his thigh.

Louis watches the movement and sighs, “Alright. I can accept that.”

Nick smiles, properly smiles, for the first time in days, “Excellent! When is your next heat due?”

“Two weeks, actually. But we can wait for the following one if it’s too soon.”

Harry and Nick both shake their heads automatically.

“That’s perfect,” Nick reassures him, “I’ll go grab the contract and document list from my study for you to take home to review. Harry, please keep him company.”

Nick stands up without any other words and heads towards the stairs to reach his study. Harry rises too and turns to Louis, putting his charming smile on his face for Louis’ sake, “Do you want anything to drink, Louis? I can bring you something, or maybe you can come to the kitchen with me.”

Louis smiles softly at him. Harry thinks he looks fond of him, and it makes him pleased to know his relationship with Louis will probably be a comfortably amicable one. It will make sharing a home with him so much easier.

“Lead the way,” Louis points to the living room entrance as he gets off the couch to follow Harry around.

“Might as well start getting used to the house, right?” Harry jokes, and decides to show Louis the first floor of the house.

Their house is easily big enough for the number of pups Nick and he planned on having and to match the Alpha’s status in the pack. There are three bedrooms upstairs, excluding the master bedroom and Nick’s study. Downstairs, they have an extra suite besides the living room, dining room and kitchen. The backyard is large, going straight to the woods that circle the town, as Nick wants their children as connected to nature as they can be living in an urban pack. 

Louis is attentive as he is shown around, asking a few questions and seeming appreciative of the house he will be living for at least six months. 

Nick finds them just as Harry is serving Louis some herbal tea, because apparently Louis is a fan of the drink. He says he got the habit after having to give up caffeine during his previous pregnancies. Harry respects that a lot. 

“I apologize for the wait; I wanted to skim over the pages one more time to make sure everything is in order,” Nick explains as he sits across from Louis. He hands in the papers he has brought with him, “Here you go. Do you think we can meet in a week again with those signed to arrange the details for your heat?”

“Yes, that should be fine,” Louis replies absently, scanning his eyes over the pages, “My lawyer will only need a couple of days to read over this.”

His lawyer? Harry’s surprised. But then he quickly realizes he shouldn’t be, since this isn’t Louis’ first rodeo and Nick himself had a lawyer prepare the documents for them with the specifications he and Harry had decided on.

Harry shakes his head to himself. It is silly to be surprised by Louis’ professionalism. Besides, Harry guesses a lawyer must make Louis feel safer to do what he does. Louis doesn’t really know them, even though he probably knows who Nick is in the pack.

“Thank you for the tea, Harry,” Louis says to him, bringing Harry out of his thoughts.

“Of course,” Harry takes the empty mug to put in the sink, “I will go shopping for other flavours before you move in.”

Harry looks away from Louis and finds Nick watching them curiously. He smiles at the Alpha.

“I have to get going if I don’t want to be late for work,” Louis stands up and goes to put the papers away in his bag. Harry realizes he doesn’t know what Louis does, besides being a surrogate. They didn’t do much small talk, and he needs to try to make more conversation with Louis when he gets the chance.

Louis, who will probably be pregnant with Nick’s pup the next time Harry talks to him. It is a lot to take in. Nick and Harry weren’t really expecting today’s candidate to be the one.

Nick says his farewell but remains seated, so Harry moves to show Louis out of the door with the usual pleasantries of _see you soon_ and _have a good day_. When Harry walks back into the kitchen, he immediately slots himself between Nick’s thighs and hugs the Alpha close, burrowing his face on the man’s neck and inhaling his calming scent.

Nick hugs him back just as fiercely, “You okay, pet?”

Harry hums and nods as best as he can maintaining his position.

“Louis feels right, yeah?” Nick asks, and waits for another affirmative sound from Harry before continuing, “I will make the calls to cancel the next two interviews; I don’t want to waste time going through them.”

“Yeah, Louis is definitely it for us.”


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Four years ago ~**

Harry met Nick when he was eighteen, young but out of school and excited about the world.

He grew up with a very forward-thinking family, his mum telling him he could attend university if he wanted to or even work, no matter what traditionalists said. She wanted him to be free. So Harry got a job in the flower shop near his house and finished high school, unlike many of his other Omega friends.

The soft smells of the flowers surrounding him daily were comforting, and Harry had a good time helping clients choose between arrangements as they told him stories about the person who would be getting them.

One day, during his second month working full time in the shop, an Alpha walked in and Harry was immediately distracted by the intense woody scent as he rang up an order, before scolding himself for unabashedly smelling someone. It was rude, so he forced himself to go back to task and let the man walk around the shop in peace.

As soon as he was done sending the lovely beta out on her way, Harry turned towards the new client. He looked older than Harry, in his mid-twenties most probably, and he couldn't help but notice that he was extremely handsome.

Harry scolded himself again. He is more professional than that.

He plastered a smile to his face and approached the man, “Hi, my name’s Harry. Can I help you with anything?”

“Yes, please,” the Alpha turned to look at Harry, “I have no clue what to get.”

Harry giggled at the confusion on the man’s face, clearly not used to buying flowers. “That’s fine, it’s what I’m here for. Just tell me what the occasion is.”

“My cousin just gave birth. I’m visiting her in the hospital later today.”

“Oh?” Bringing flowers to his cousin, that was so sweet. Harry was afraid he might fall in love during this interaction. He only hoped that the infatuation wasn’t too obvious on his face. “Boy or girl?”

“Boy.”

“Well, you’re in luck!” He started walking to the other side of the shop, content that the Alpha was following him, “I just put together a blue hydrangea bouquet this morning, with white roses.”

Harry found it easily as there weren’t many blue flowers around the shop, and turned around to show it to the man. Nick eyed them up appreciatively, a smile breaking out on his face. Harry swooned internally.

“That’s perfect,” the Alpha said, and Harry’s inner Omega jumped in excitement for being praised. God, Harry wasn’t normally so out of touch with reality like that.

Nick held his hands up so Harry could give him the bouquet. Harry looked around for a reason to stall the man, too aware of the fact their small interaction was coming to an end, but he came up short. He sighed resignedly in his head and walked towards the counter.

“Anything else I can help you with?” Harry asked politely, reminding himself that he was still talking to a client.

“No, that’s all, thank you, Harry.” Nick pulled out his wallet and handed Harry a card to pay with. It read _Nicholas P A Grimshaw_. Harry vaguely recognized the name, but couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

He shook the thought off while ringing Nick up and gave the card back with a smile, “I hope she likes it.”

Harry circled around the counter to walk Nick out, but before he got far, Nick spoke up.

“Harry, I hope this doesn’t sound too forward,” he started cautiously, “but would you give me your number? I’d love it if we got to know each other better.”

Harry felt himself blush, half embarrassed at being caught with his crush and half flattered by the fact it was apparently reciprocated. He agreed easily and fumbled with Nick’s phone as he offered it to Harry, quickly typing in his number and naming himself _Flowershop Harry_ , so there would be no mix up.

The Alpha took it back, clearly amused by Harry’s reaction to the whole thing, “I’ll text you, alright?”

“Please do,” Harry replied so quickly that he wished he could bury himself alive.

Nick let out a soft laugh but thankfully it didn’t come out as mocking or mean. “Bye, Harry,” he said with a wink, before turning towards the street and walking out of the shop.

“Bye, Nick,” Harry responded, but he reckoned it was too late for the man to hear.

A new customer walking in, startled Harry from the spot he stayed frozen on, watching the street even as the Alpha was long gone. It was going to be a few long hours until he heard from Nick.

At first, Harry’s mum was skeptical of the whole thing. As common as it is for the Alpha to be older than the Omega, she didn’t love their age difference. And she definitely didn’t love the fact Nick came from such a traditional family and followed their customs.

Nick was a very high-raking Alpha in their pack, which is why his name sounded so familiar to Harry. His family was responsible for pack dynamics and organization for generations, with the Alphas conducting the state affairs as the Omegas care for the household and groom their next generation. Nick was an apple who didn’t fall far from the tree. He was very open about wanting a mate to come home to at the end of the day, someone who wants a bunch of pups to inherit his title in the pack.

Harry, coming as a surprise to his family, was more than on board with it. He had always wanted pups, a big family to take care of, a good mate to take care of him. And for as much as Anne taught him to be an independent and modern Omega, giving some of that up for a future with Nick didn’t feel like an issue. It felt completely right.

So as the months passed and dating turned into proper courting, Harry was happier than he had ever been. He was excited to bond with Nick and build a future together.

Eventually, his mum couldn’t fight back against Harry’s choices. It was clear that he was very much in love with Nick and there was nothing she could do but give them her blessing.

And that was how, a year later, the couple went through their bonding ceremony and Harry was moving into the house they chose together, Nick’s and Harry’s _home_ , in the hope of starting to build their family. Harry threw his birth control pills out on their first day there and they let Fate do her thing.

The problem, it turned out, was that Fate didn’t seem to want to cooperate. Harry and Nick had a fairly healthy sex life and ever since they officially mated, they had spent multiple heats together. Sure, Harry was one of those Omegas who got a heat only every three months, instead of every two like most, but that was not uncommon. They had spent ten heats together already and the frustration was taking a toll in their relationship.

Why wouldn’t the elements bless them with a pup? Most Omegas only needed one or two heats without birth control to get pregnant. It wasn’t right.

That thought led Harry to think that maybe that was it... something wasn’t right. He suggested to Nick that they should get a full physical exam and any other test that could indicate why they weren’t able to conceive.

That ended up being a good thing, because he and Nick didn’t need to keep on hoping to get pregnant when it was impossible. But, at the same time, Harry desperately wished he could go back to a time when he didn’t know he was infertile.

Nothing could have prepared him for that news. His infertility was not on the long list of things he thought could possibly be stopping them from starting their family. Hearing the doctor telling him he was barren created a gigantic black hole in Harry’s chest that ached greatly. In all the alternative universes Harry had imagined for himself, not being a parent was not an option. 

He felt completely lost.

When the sadness and agony grew too much, he turned around to look at Nick and it managed to get worse. 

The Alpha looked completely destroyed by the news.

They left the clinic in a daze. Harry was in such shock that he didn't even have the energy to cry at first. The clear distress coming off Nick in waves made the situation even more overwhelming. Harry knew, right then and there, that he was a failure as Nick’s Omega. He truly hated himself for not being able to bear children for his Alpha, especially when they mated with the specific goal of building a family together.

And that thought, right as they walked into their home, was what made him finally break down.

One minute he felt numb and the next he was sobbing uncontrollably. He was aware of Nick gathering him, taking him to bed and letting him cry it out. He was sure Nick’s tears mixed in with his own at some point, and they held each other for hours, mourning for the children they would never have.

After that, it was like something broke between them. If Harry had thought Nick’s foul moods caused by two years of frustration were bad, he was sorely mistaken. The solid coldness with which he treated Harry after that was definitely worse.

As the weeks passed, Nick spent progressively more time working or finding any excuse to be away from Harry, even letting Harry take more hours at the flower shop.

Their sex life was almost inexistent, like intimacy wasn’t worth it without a purpose. But worse than that was the fact Harry didn’t even want to be intimate with Nick most of the time. He was just too sad for it, and sex ended up being just be another reminder of what they couldn’t have when they were both down from their highs. That was, if they could get there. If one of them slipped up, then it was easier to just cool off than get an orgasm.

Harry found himself stuck in the most awful position he could be in: twenty-two, unfulfilled, unhappy and bonded, but not really.

Nick and he were so disconnected that sometimes he wondered if the connection they had carefully constructed between them would just dissipate, freeing them both from the lifelong partnership they had gotten into so naturally.

But he wouldn’t bet on that one. Fate didn’t seem to want to make Harry’s life easier. He had stopped trusting her a while back.

Given how life had been for weeks now, Harry couldn’t help it but be struck speechless as Nick walked into their house actually happy. The Alpha smiled brightly at Harry when he spotted him in the kitchen, kissed him chastely on the mouth as greeting, “Good evening, darling.”

Harry stared a bit, forgetting how to make sentences. Only when Nick’s smile started diminishing did Harry react, not wanting to whisk the good mood away.

“Hi, Alpha. How was work?” He gave Nick the best smile he could muster, “dinner will be ready soon.”

“Good, good. Nothing new on that front,” Nick sat down on the counter, still watching Harry happily, “but I did have an interesting talk with Greg today.”

Harry made a noise to indicate that he was listening, but didn’t pay too much attention. Nick always had conversations with Greg. They worked together, after all.

“We were talking about alternatives for mates that can’t have their own pups for some reason,” he elaborated meaningfully.

That got Harry’s curiosity going. The spoon he was holding dropped harshly into the pan of sauce, making some spill around. It scared Harry, making him jump back in surprise. Nick came around the counter, turned off the stove and took the spoon to the sink. Then he held Harry’s hand, leading him to sit with him on the kitchen stools.

“Harry?” He asked softly, and it broke Harry out of his trance.

“Yeah, yeah,” Harry shook his head to clear it, “I’m listening.”

When Harry’s eyes were back on him, Nick continued, “Only one option really stuck with me as a possibility.”

“Okay.”

“Surrogacy.”

It only took a second for Harry’s wolf to protest, hurt at the prospect. Flashes of an Omega pregnant with Nick’s pups and taking Harry’s place as his mate jumped to the forefront of his mind. He didn’t know exactly how much of that showed on his face, but Nick frowned.

“I know it’s not ideal, not really what we hoped for, but it’s better than not having an heir or adoption. They need to be mine, you know?” He explained calmly to Harry.

Harry nodded slowly. As much as his first instinct automatically rejected the idea, Harry’s logical side was… content. Nick’s pup would be his too, Harry was his mate. This could possibly save a relationship that Harry had been kicking himself for ruining, a relationship he thought was unfixable.

“Biologically yours, yes,” Harry corrected, because he would be their mum if they were doing this, “I understand. If I could, I’d want them to be biologically mine too. But you know I will love any child of ours, no matter what.”

Nick smiled again, this time it was a mixture of relief and excitement. “I thought it would take more convincing to get you on board.”

Harry had thought Nick wouldn’t ever want anything but a completely traditional family. Harry wouldn’t push his luck, so he had to accept what he was offered. It was more than what he imagined possible until a few minutes ago. He laughed, even if it wasn’t exactly a happy sound, before shrugging, “It is not like we have any better options.”

“We really don’t,” Nick agreed heavily.

Harry understood what Nick didn't say. He had to do this.

“I actually went ahead and made a list of things we should discuss and prepare for if we are to go through with this. Can we discuss it over dinner?”

“Sure, I will go finish it now,” Harry stood up, turning back to the stove straight away, “I only need a few minutes.”

“Excellent. I will wash up in the meantime, alright, love?”

“Yeah, go ahead.” Harry grabs a clean spoon and returns to stirring the sauce. His head feels heavy with all the information to process in such a short period of time before having to make decisions – decisions that will impact the rest of his life with Nick. It is overwhelming and, honestly, kind of scary. 

Not that he assumed he had much say in how things would work out. He knew that if he wanted to stay with Nick, which he did, he had to be flexible. It was his fault, in the first place, that they weren’t able to build a traditional family together. His Alpha deserved better than that, and it is his duty to make things happen however he wanted. 

His wolf instincts were clawing at the back of his mind, too, going in a totally opposite direction and rejecting the surrogacy idea straight away. As Harry started putting the food on the table, he tried pushing the Omega voice to the back of his head. He wanted kids, too. It wasn’t just for Nick. This was also his only opportunity for them. He couldn’t pass up the possibility, no matter how hard it would be at the beginning. It would all be worth it, when he had a pup running around the house to care for and love. 

And of course, Nick loved Harry and wanted to stay with him as well. Or else he wouldn’t have come up with an alternative for them, so they could stay together happily. It did feel like a second chance for their bond to create a strong lifelong relationship between them. 

When the table was set, Harry took a deep breath and sat down in determination. He was ready for his conversation with Nick; they would make things work and have the family they both dreamed of. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Masturbation in the first scene of the chapter.

Harry is physically hurting.

There is a pain in his chest that’s deep and it is spreading over him, making his limbs numb and heavy.

He knows, logically, that there is nothing wrong with him. His wolf is just manifesting its emotional hurt to get his attention, since he has been steadily ignoring all its demands. But what can he do? Call Nick and ask him to come back? Tell him he is not okay with the choices they’ve made now that Nick is already spending Louis’ heat with him? He couldn’t possibly do that.

His possessive side will have to deal with it. And if it doesn’t, then Harry will have to learn how to deal with the punishments the wolf inflicts on him. It is being unreasonable, anyways. It is not like Harry isn’t in distress, too. Because he is. He is just fighting to let logic reign over instinct a little longer.

After the tenth time re-reading the same paragraph in his book, he gives up on trying to distract himself and goes to bed. If he has to suffer, at least he can be comfortable.

Nick has been gone for a good few hours now, and Harry wonders if he will actually survive the next three days, when his wolf’s instinct is so clearly bent on making him crazy. It would be dreadful if Nick came home to a feral mate, so he has to control himself. He has to fight the voice that is harshly angry at him for letting his mate go and spend a heat with another Omega. A better Omega, one who is capable of bearing the pups his Alpha deserves.

A desperate whine makes its way out of Harry’s throat and he burrows deeper into the pillows, trying to drown out that awful side of him with Nick’s scent that is still lingering on the bedding.

He doesn’t understand why his subconsciousness thinks that lashing out against him will solve anything. But then again, being an Omega is also part of him and he understands the anger and indignance from his wolf.

Harry is torn between self-pity and self-hatred as he squirms between the sheets, but stops still when a soft wave of heat hits him. 

At first, he is confused, but then the realization dawns on him. He groans, body feeling desperation and lust that doesn’t come from him, and definitely isn’t directed at him. Nick is going into a secondary rut. His Alpha has finally accepted Louis as a potential partner to carry his pups and is doing his best to ensure successful mating. Without the actual bonding part, Harry hopes.

He can’t help it thinking it is humiliating, to be feeling, remotely, shadows of the pleasure his Alpha is getting from another Omega. But as the buildup gets stronger, he manages to let it go and accept the desire washing over him. 

Harry ruts against the bed as the heat grows intensively inside of him, but he refuses to touch himself. He won’t stoop that low; he has some dignity left.

He lets his mind drift, imagining this is a vivid wet dream, or maybe the beginning stage of his own cycle coming. Nick is coming home soon. He will see Harry desperate on their bed and join him, they will strengthen the bond with intimacy.

Harry’s thrusting becomes erratic and he comes with a groan muffled by a pillow. He ruts softly against the bed while the smaller waves of his orgasm hit him, until it doesn’t feel good anymore.

The distinct lust coming from his bond with Nick is still present, but the post-orgasm drowsiness is pulling Harry under and he desperately craves a few hours of sleep without his brain dwelling on his situation. So he lets himself go boneless, not caring about the mess in his pants or the spit on the pillow near his face. He can deal with that tomorrow, when he has to face the emotional consequences of everything that has happened tonight.

Harry spends two days in a state of constant pain, anxiety and projected horniness, unable to properly sleep but with no energy to do anything productive, before he hears the front door opening.

Nick.

He jumps out of his place on the armchair in their bedroom, not even bothering to pause the movie he was inattentively watching, and rushes down the stairs, wanting to have the Alpha wrapped around him immediately.

The scent that hits him knocks him back at the foot of the stairs. The smell of heat, rut and sex is so distinctively Louis that it feels like a bucket of icy water throw at Harry. He freezes, staring wide-eyed at Nick. But before either man can say anything, Harry’s wolf instinct takes the lead. He can feel a desperately possessive sound rumbling out of his chest as he flings himself at his mate, rubbing his face against the Alpha’s neck frantically and sending off claiming pheromones to try to overcome any traces of Louis.

“Oh, pet, you’re alright,” he can vaguely hear Nick’s reassurances as the man gathers Harry in his arms, scenting him back on the way to their room.

Harry’s heart is beating erratically in his chest, the sound loud in his burning ears and he can’t really process words enough to form a reply. In the end, his Omega communicates with a drawn-out whine. 

Nick carefully lowers them both on the bed and covers Harry’s body with his own domineeringly, clearly trying to appease the Omega. When Harry manages to calm down slightly, he can hear Nick whispering more comforting words, “I’m here now. I love you. I’m yours, only yours.”

Louis’ scent is still there but it’s being overpowered by the combined scent of Harry and Nick. It makes the Omega start becoming pliant under the treatment from his Alpha, who is still sending off waves of calming pheromones and kissing every part of the Omega he can reach without putting any space between them.

Accumulated exhaustion from the past two days hits Harry and he suddenly has a hard time keeping his eyes open. Nick must feel the change in his demeanor because his ministrations get less frantic and he pulls back to watch Harry properly.

“It’s okay, pet, go to sleep,” he says kindly, his touch gentle on Harry’s face. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Harry’s wolf, emotionally drained too, accepts the offering and lets Harry relax. It is not long before he falls asleep.

Even though he most certainly is tired, too, Nick tends to his mate tenderly through the next day.

Harry knows he is quieter than usual, pliable under Nick’s hands and orders, but his head still feels like it has cotton stuck inside it. 

It gets better as the day progresses. The sleep, the food and Nick’s almost constant scenting helps. The intensity of his reaction leaves only a faint memory of Louis on Nick, and only if Harry actively searches for it. 

When he finally reigns over his instincts completely, his wolf satisfied with his mate, he feels embarrassed about it. He was so lost in his needy haze that he didn’t even notice Nick had come home a whole day earlier than he was supposed to. He calls out from his spot on the couch to Nick in the kitchen, who is making some tea, before he can think twice about it, “Alpha, you came home too early.”

Nick appears on the doorway, a grin spreading over his face, eyes shining in excitement, “Yes, I did!”

“Oh.”

A short heat means the conception was successful early enough that their bodies reacted to it by stopping their heat and rut cycles. That knowledge only adds to the tug of war of feelings inside Harry, making the man both relieved that they won’t have to go through this again, yet incredibly bitter because it was so easy for Louis. He probably took it within the first few hours, when Harry tried for years. It feels so unfair.

Harry is stupid to get hung up on that, too. All candidates had to go through fertility exams to even be shortlisted for an interview, and he knew Louis’ test results showed him to be extremely fertile. But part of Harry wishes he wasn’t, then maybe his own defect wouldn’t be made glaringly obvious in comparison.

“Are you not pleased?” Nick asks, coldness seeping through his tone and a sourness entering his scent.

“I am,” Harry reassures him, forcing a smile on his face. “I can’t believe we will have our pup here with us in just nine months.”

The Alpha’s scent goes back to its usual woody tones at that, joy slowly slipping back into Nick’s features. “You’re going to warm up more when Louis is here. You can smell on him that he is pregnant with our pup.”

Harry’s heart pangs at the thought of Louis smelling like his mate’s pup, the Omega clawing inside, but he forces himself to keep on smiling and wills his scent to remain steady.

“When will I see him again?”

“Next Sunday.” Nick finally walks into the living room, sitting by Harry on the couch and reaching up to play with the curls at the nape of Harry’s neck. “He didn’t want to come and live with us for a while, so we reached a compromise. He will only move in after his first doctor’s appointment, when the pregnancy hits eight weeks, but he must come over for a meal every Sunday, so we can check up on our pup’s wellbeing.”

Harry nods in understanding. It must be tough for Louis, to not only give his body for the job, but also to give his freedom. Harry sympathizes with him trying to get as much time as possible living independently.

It is not like they would be missing anything, anyway: most Omegas don’t even find out they’re pregnant until morning sickness hits around the second month. And besides, a longer adjustment period for Harry before having to share his home with Louis will do him some good too. He is sure his Omega would try to sabotage Louis, too soon after the Omega spent a heat with his mate.

“Sounds fair,” Harry agrees easily, “I’ll plan a nice lunch for us.”

Sunday does find them sitting around the dining room table to have lunch together.

Louis’ scent truly has changed, like Nick warned him it had. There is something distinctively new and _Nick_ under it, which to any slightly perceptive wolf means Louis is expecting. Harry’s own wolf easily identifies the pup inside Louis as his, too, even if he does get a little aggressive when Nick stands too close to Louis. It’s a lot to deal with, and it is a bit awkward, but Harry is managing to stay well behaved for most of it so far.

Louis helps a lot, too. Clearly working around the dynamics he faces to try and make Harry as comfortable as possible. Right now, Louis and Nick are seated on opposite sides of the table, Harry between them. They’re eating in silence, and Harry feels it is tense. 

He is aware Nick doesn’t think so, looking as calm as put together as he can be. His scent is steady and neutral as he eats. But Louis’ aura is more restless; he looks like he wants to say something to fill in the quiet, but doesn’t know how to do it without putting his foot in his mouth. Harry sympathizes... a lot.

He takes pity on him and tries starting up a conversation again, “Louis, I never asked what you do for work?”

“Oh,” Louis puts down his fork and swallows, “I am a secretary, slash assistant, at Animals’ Lives. Uh, it’s an animal rescue organization.”

“That’s cool! It must be nice to be so hands on with something that makes a difference.”

“It is,” Louis agrees, seemingly happy that Harry had taken interest in his job, “and we host an adoption fair for pets rescued every couple of months, so I love being able to help with that.”

“You’re the animal organization by the Town Hall?” Harry asks with way too much excitement if Louis’ laughter is anything to go by. He can feel himself blush and he glances at Nick to catch his reaction. The Alpha is looking straight at him, clearly amused, so Harry lets his grin widen, “Nick and I walked by the adoption fair a few times; I was in love with all of the kittens.”

He turns to look back at Louis and finds him watching Nick and him with a fond and, weirdly enough, surprised expression. It confuses Harry but he tries not to show it, so he adjusts himself on his chair and takes a sip from his drink.

“Yeah, they usually are the main attraction. And what about you?”

“I work at a flower shop downtown. Have since high school, really,” he tells Louis proudly. It is not rescuing animals, but he loves it all the same.

“I can totally see that,” Louis teases him, “You look like the type to take your time doing arrangements.”

“He is.” Nick speaks for the first time in a while. He takes Harry’s right hand and kisses it gently. “That’s how we met, actually.”

“Oh?” Louis prompts them to tell more.

Harry looks at him and the Alpha gives him his hand back. He blows a kiss gratefully, and before he can tell Louis more, Nick goes ahead.

“My mum gave me the task of getting flowers for my cousin, who had just given birth to a boy, and I was completely lost. Harry offered me a beautiful blue and white arrangement. It was the talk of the waiting room at the hospital!”

“I was freaking out through our whole interaction because I had to talk to such a handsome Alpha. I was shocked when Nick asked for my number before he left.”

“Of course I’d try my luck!” Nick rebuts in mock-indignance. “The prettiest Omega I’ve ever seen, blushing in the middle of all those flowers? I didn’t stand a chance.”

Harry preens under the attention and compliments from his Alpha, feeling happiness spreading through his chest. 

Their bubble is broken by Louis’ enamored voice, “You guys are so sweet, and you will make a beautiful family. I’m happy I can assist with that.”

Well… that reminder is a huge damper to Harry’s slowly improving mood. He keeps his smile on his face, though, hoping his scent isn’t betraying him too much. “Thank you, Louis.”

If his tone is too polite to be genuine, no one mentions it. Louis just nods once and goes back to eating, Nick following suit. Silence settles awkwardly over them again. Harry sighs heavily in his head. At least he tried. He can only hope, for the sake of them all in the next however many months, that things get easier with time.

As the weeks pass, Sunday lunches get progressively more comfortable. Nick sometimes leaves the two Omegas by themselves, usually when there are work demands to attend to, and they manage to settle into a pleasant routine of getting to know each other and planning for Louis to move in. That odd righteousness he felt when he first met Louis washes back over him with time, conflicting with everything else that has been going on inside of Harry ever since the surrogacy plan became a reality. But overall, it is good. He starts to believe, again, that they made the right choice with Louis.

Harry has already stocked up on tea and the various cereal brands that Louis likes and there are bottles of prenatal vitamins on the counter alongside Harry’s own daily pills. Everything seems to slowly be settling down just fine, to the point where Harry looks forward to having Louis over every weekend. He is good company.

On the last Sunday before Louis’ ultrasound, Harry is excited for him to arrive, so he can show him the soft blanket he has bought for his room. Harry realizes, surprised, that his wolf has completely accepted Louis as the bearer of his and Nick’s pup, and he now feels like part of their sub-pack.

That isn’t too common anymore, to have an actual sub-pack, since everyone lives monogamously rather than communally, but it does happen, with their wolf instinct still strong. But more than that, Harry’s Omega is content with being able to have Louis under his roof and to care for him too. It is a bit odd, given that Harry has only felt that towards Nick, but it is also good. Harry... kind of likes it.

The doorbell rings and he jumps to get it. He excitedly opens the door for a tired looking Louis and offers a smile, “Hi, Louis!”

Louis immediately hugs him close, so Harry uses the opportunity to scent him in a way that he hopes is subtle. Sue him for wanting to claim the bearer of his child a little? People should know they can’t mess with Louis. Not right now.

“Hey, Harry,” Louis pushes himself away and walks into the house properly, dropping himself onto the couch.

Harry watches as Louis closes his eyes and lets his head rest back, sighing deeply.

“Why are you so tired?” He asks as he sits down next to Louis, hoping his job isn’t overworking him.

Louis peeks at him, “Pregnancy does that... nothing happened; stop stressing.”

Harry blushes as he realizes he is sending off worried pheromones. He really needs to reign in his instincts better.

“Sorry,” he apologizes sheepishly. “Can I do anything to help?”

Louis watches him fondly, “Yeah, maybe some chamomile tea before lunch, please?”

“On it!” Harry returns to the kitchen, glad to be able to help. He puts the kettle on as Louis sits on the side of the counter and watches him finish preparing their food.

They don’t talk, the silence comfortable around them as Harry hums to himself and checks that all vegetables are all ready to serve. He is trying to be mindful of all the nutrients in his cooking for Louis. Since Louis is peculiar on how he likes his salad and vegetables, Harry has to get creative. But he doesn’t mind it. He is actually pleased to have someone else to tend for, someone else’s needs to consider when planning meals. He loves that he can do that for Louis, and he is excited to figure out more of the Omega’s taste.

When the water boils, he turns off the stove and serves Louis his tea, pushing the cup across the counter for him.

“Thank you,” Louis smiles up at Harry. He looks soft and fragile, even more so with the small bags under his eyes. Harry kind of wants to bundle him up under a pile of blankets and hold him as he naps.

_That was a weird train of thought right there._

Harry shakes his head to clear his mind and decides to check if the chicken is done in the oven. It is, so he turns it off and starts taking everything to the dining table. Louis stands up to help him but Harry waves him off, the man looking like he could fall asleep any second now. Maybe chamomile wasn’t the best choice of tea.

He calls up to Nick and sits down with Louis to wait for the Alpha so they can eat.

“Maybe you could take a nap in your room before going home?” He offers, hoping the Omega accepts it. He doesn’t look like he is in condition to make the trip to his flat even right now, and it will be worse after they eat.

“No, no, I don’t wanna impose—”

“Please, Louis, I—”

“Hi, Louis,” Nick greets from the doorway and makes his way inside. He passes behind Harry, giving him a kiss on the head, before sitting down by his side, “What were you talking about?”

“Harry suggested I take the guest room for a nap before heading home, but I don’t think it’s necessary,” Louis explains as Harry starts serving Nick.

“Just for my peace of mind,” Harry defends himself, “The pregnancy is making him very tired.”

Harry turns to serve Louis next and watches from the corner of his eye as Nick assesses Louis’ face.

“You do look like you’d fall asleep if you rested your head on the table, Louis.” Nick glances between both Omegas before settling his eyes on Louis again. “It would be safer for you to stay.”

“But I don’t want to impose; it’s one of your last days by yourselves before I move in.” Louis doesn’t move his ground. Harry wants to smile at the Omega’s stubbornness, but holds back from it so he doesn’t end up accidentally letting Louis win the argument.

“Nonsense, your room is ready for you to move in this week, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use it,” Nick says with such finality in his tone that Harry knows Louis won’t try to argue anymore.

He finishes serving himself and sits down while Louis sighs resignedly and agrees. Harry purrs triumphantly inside, satisfied that he will be able to oversee his Omega’s and pup’s rest and guarantee their wellbeing.

 _His Omega._

What is Harry thinking?

Their situation is really confusing Harry’s instincts, apparently. He needs to find out a way to get things sorted with his subconsciousness.

Harry wonders if Nick is having the same problem as him, but it feels improper to bring the subject up. If he isn’t, it will seem like Harry is getting romantically attached to Louis. Which he is most definitely not. No. He is very loyal to Nick.

His maternal side is probably just flaring up, knowing that the pup growing inside of Louis is his, in every way but biological. The pup will be his Alpha’s heir, so his responsibility by default. The confusion on thinking Louis is part of their bond is understandable. _Right?_

He hopes so.

Harry looks up and sees Louis take a bite of his chicken contentedly. Warmth spreads through his chest, knowing he is both pleasing and caring for the pregnant Omega.

He decides then that, yes, it is just natural instinct. There’s no need to worry about it.

Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to do everything for the person carrying their child?


	4. Chapter 4

“Does he do that a lot?” Louis asks from his place on the armchair by the glass windows, eyebrow raised curiously.

He only moved in a couple of weeks ago, but he already got most of their routine down. Harry knows, by now, that Louis is an extremely observant person, so of course he would quickly notice when something out of the ordinary happens.

“No, it’s not common at all,” Harry sighs. 

Nick came home earlier today, to the Omegas’ surprise, but only to announce that he had to travel to another pack that afternoon and he’d return in three to four days. Harry couldn’t do much about it besides help his Alpha quickly pack, wish him good luck with the negotiations he had to oversee and kiss him goodbye. He doesn’t like the situation, but he is trying to suck it up and get over it.

“Do you want me to change my shifts at work so you don’t have to be alone for so long?” Louis proposes carefully.

Harry looks at Louis properly and, to his annoyance, finds pity in Louis' eyes. What’s there to pity? His Alpha has an important job; there’s nothing wrong with that.

“No, of course not,” he answers quickly, maybe more harshly than he should.

Louis raises his hands in a peaceful gesture, “I was just offering.”

Harry groans. He knows Louis didn’t mean anything bad by his question, so he resigns to giving a decent and polite answer. “If Nick was in town, I wouldn’t be seeing him during the day anyways. And I have a few shifts this week. And I’ll have your company at night.”

Louis eyes him up again, an expression Harry can’t exactly read on his face. Harry wishes Louis wasn’t so good at holding back his emotions from slipping into his scent. It would definitely make things easier for him. But whatever Louis is thinking is gone before Harry has more time to try and get a read on it. Louis is quick to shake himself out of his staring, “Okay, if you’re sure.”

“I am.” He says, hoping to sound convincing and end that topic of discussion. Thankfully, Louis seems to get the message, wordlessly turning back to his book.

Harry rolls his eyes, still a bit annoyed, but decides to distract himself with making dinner instead of letting the bad feeling simmer. He thinks about pumpkin soup but notices they are out of a few ingredients when he checks the fridge.

Harry looks around a bit and realizes they’re actually out of a lot of things: milk for Louis’ cereal, cheese for him to make toast. Harry starts compiling a mental list as he looks into the cupboards. When he is satisfied, he turns around and grabs his wallet and keys from the hallway table.

“Louis, I need to go get some groceries, do you want to come?” Harry asks loudly for Louis to hear from the living room.

“No!” Louis calls back, “Unless you need help?”

“It’s fine! I will be back in about an hour!”

Harry puts on a pair of shoes and starts making his way out when Louis screams a reminder for Harry to get him coco pops. Harry laughs, shaking his head at the Omega’s toddler taste in food.

He thinks back to his list and realizes it was created mostly with himself and Louis in mind. Nick hasn’t been home enough lately that Harry feels the need to restock on his preferred items. Harry frowns and has to remind himself that it is just a temporary phase. It is okay, Nick is happy and soon their pup will be here and make them whole again. Shoving the worry out of his mind, Harry starts his walk towards the nearest grocery shop.

The weekly trips become a fixture in their routine. Nick explains to him how he got assigned some pack diplomacy thing, and that he decided to take it before the baby comes, hoping he could take some time off from it to enjoy their newborn.

It is sound logic, so Harry lets it go. Even when it feels very lonely to spend half of his nights without his Alpha sharing the same bed as him, or when he feels like Nick’s scent is fading from his. Harry braves through the loneliness with Louis’ company. His presence is a blessing in the house, and Harry finds himself getting lost in Louis’ pregnancy.

He cherishes all the new occurrences. The first time they think Louis is showing, even if it was just the tiniest bit. The fact they need to go bra shopping for Louis because he lost the one he used during his last surrogacy. Or even deciding on things for the nursery, with Louis’ input and opinions on various items.

If Harry lets himself think about circumstances too much, he realizes it is like he and Louis are pregnant. Nick has been more distant than ever, and Harry can’t remember the last time Nick checked in with Louis and their pup. But he also doesn’t want the pain in his heart to grow stronger, so he puts the subject to the back of his mind whenever it comes up.

Nick’s just busy, getting work done so they can enjoy their time as a new family when the pup is here.

Harry wonders if Louis would be willing to sit with him as he cooks to distract him from his thoughts. He is busy making roast beef with vegetables, since it is one of the Alpha’s favourite dishes, waiting for him to come because they need to talk. Louis’ twenty weeks appointment, the one where they will most probably find out the baby’s gender, is supposed to be next week, but he wants to make sure it is a date and time Nick can be there.

Before he can leave the kitchen to look for Louis, though, he hears his voice shouting Harry’s name.

“Yes, Lou?” He replies loudly.

“Come quick!”

Harry wastes no time sprinting to Louis’ room, afraid that something occurred to him or to their pup.

“What? What happened?” He asks worriedly, heart pounding as he tries to catch anything wrong with Louis’ scent or to see any injury. Louis just smiles brightly at him.

“It’s nothing bad,” he pats the bed, “sit here.”

Harry is still a little out of breath, confused by what could possibly need his rush if it wasn’t an emergency, but he obeys. Louis takes Harry’s hand and places it on his bump. Harry eyes bulge when he realizes the implications of what is happening and he freezes, not knowing how to act in the situation.

“Don’t look so scared,” Louis sounds amused, watching Harry short circuit momentarily.

Harry inhales slowly and forces himself to relax. When the initial scare fades, he starts getting excited at the prospect of feeling his pup move inside of Louis.

“Are you –,” his sentence is cut short by an unmistakable movement under his hand, “Oh my god!” Harry can feel tears welling up in his eyes, and he looks up at Louis, desperate for reassurance.

Louis nods, “that’s them, yeah.”

Harry drops down on the floor by the foot of the bed so his face is directly in front of Louis’ small bump, caressingly it lovingly, “hi sweetie, it’s mama.”

Harry is rewarded by another strong kick under his palm and his heart does ten backflips before expanding in his chest. He can feel his cheeks strain from how wide he grins at the bump, an indescribable type of love filling him up from head to toe. 

His pup is reacting to him. They recognize Harry.

Harry stays like that, mindlessly talking to the bump and reacting excitedly whenever there is a physical response from the child inside, until his knees and back ache from the strain of his position on the floor.

Harry gives Louis’ bump a kiss and stands up, not knowing how to express his affection and gratitude to Louis. But before he can try to put his feelings in sentences, the front door opens, signaling Nick is home.

“Will you let us know if they kick around some more? I’m sure Nick would love to feel them for himself,” Harry requests, excited at the prospect of his Alpha getting to interact with their unborn pup too.

“I will, Haz, don’t worry. But they moved around a lot already, I doubt there will be any more kicking tonight. Maybe tomorrow?”

Harry feels dejected for a second but it is gone quickly when the fact he will most probably be able to interact with the pup every day from now on sinks in.

“Thank you, Lou!” Harry hugs Louis and turns to make his way to the kitchen. Nick is surely there: the man always gets home from work hungry.

Harry is right, and he wastes no time starting to animatedly tell Nick about the experience that just occurred. He is so lost in it, that he doesn’t notice the Alpha’s lack of enthusiasm until he cuts Harry’s ramblings off.

“Harry, we need to talk.”

“Oh, yeah, we do. Louis has a doctor’s appointment next week and –”

“Harry,” Nick cuts him off sharply, Alpha voice commandeering in the room, “that’s not it.”

Harry freezes, but settles down, waiting for what his mate clearly needs to say.

“I want to apologize. I was wrong in deciding that we should have an heir through surrogacy.”

“What do you mean? It can’t be right or wrong now. It’s... already happening.”

“I know. And I’m sorry. But I can’t do this anymore.”

Understanding dawns on Harry and he starts crying for the second time that night, but for a complete opposite reason this time, “Nick, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want to break our bond, and I want you to keep Louis’ pup. I won’t accept them as my heir, but I’ll make sure you both are taken care of until they’re of age.”

Harry feels the world spinning, but he can’t really make it stop. His breath is coming out ragged, his chest is constricting and he instinctively wants to run away. He flinches when he sees movement towards him from the corner of his eyes and it makes Nick stop, sitting back down across from him steadily.

“I’m sorry, Harry, truly” the Alpha speaks calmly, enunciating the words carefully for Harry’s sake, “in my study, there are a few documents already signed, leaving the house and half of my wealth in your name so you can have a safe future. I will be moving to the Northern pack tonight. All I need is to pack my clothes and personal items.”

Harry chokes up, “Why?”

Nick releases a long sigh, looking at Harry sadly, “I can’t handle this, Harry. I thought I could but I can’t. It’s not what I want for my life. I want to start new, away from here. I want a proper family.”

“What about me?” He asks indignantly. “We are a proper family.”

“You know what I mean.”

That pierce right through Harry’s heart. All the accumulated self-hatred and sadness comes crashing down on him. He knows it’s not his fault but he can’t help it feeling guilty.

“I don’t have... a say? A choice?”

“Sure you do. I won’t tell you what to do with yourself once I leave, but I’ve made my choice,” Nick tells him plainly, practically putting an end on the discussion.

When Harry just stares and doesn’t offer a reply, the Alpha sighs and slowly stands up.

“I won’t take long,” he makes to leave the kitchen but Harry holds his arm.

“But I love you. You love me. We can work this out,” he tells Nick, not trying to hide the clear desperation in his tone. He wants to go down on his knees and beg Nick not to abandon him, only a tread of dignity holding him back from doing so.

Nick has it all figured out. He must be planning to leave Harry for months now. How could he have been so stupid and blind to it?

“I’m sorry, Harry,” Nick apologizes again before pulling his arm from Harry’s grasp and leaving the kitchen in a rush. Harry can hear him rummaging through their bedroom and he is torn between following the man to try and talk some sense into him or fleeing the scene all together.

In the end, his feet take him to Louis’ room. He drops down next to the Omega numbly and grabs him frantically, until he has his face against Louis’ bump. Before he can think twice about it, he starts scenting. The feeling of his pup under his fingers and their scent mixing with his own makes him feel marginally better.

Louis just adjusts himself to be more comfortable and lets Harry do his thing, so he also fixes his position. They are almost cuddled together, with Harry’s nose positioned right by the height of Louis’ waist.

Harry’s breathing is still erratic but he tries to control it, using the love for his pup to anchor himself. He knows that he will treasure them no matter what.

When he is calm enough, he focuses to listen carefully for any sounds of Nick coming after him and taking back what he said. Time seems to be frozen and it all Harry feels is anguish. He can tell he is shaking but can’t do much to stop it, so he just stays put. 

Waiting.

He doesn’t know how much time passes, but eventually they hear the front door closing, indicating Nick has really left. Harry whines at the sound, burrowing even further under the blanket he now realizes Louis has thrown on top of him.

Nick is leaving Harry.

He wants to break their bond.

He is abandoning their pup.

He is moving to the pack he was supposedly working in for a few months only.

Harry can’t control the sob that breaks out of him and the tears start falling heavier from his eyes, and his body shakes with the intensity of his cries. The betrayal hurts more than any physical pain Harry has ever experienced. It feels like his heart is being torn from his body. And even more than that, there is an underlying anger at himself for not seeing it coming even though he had all the signs right in front of him. He genuinely believed they would make it through their bad phase.

He is aware Louis is talking to him, but he can’t make out the words. He can only feel the calming and loving pheromones washing over him. Louis stays there, comforting Harry and letting him cry himself out until he is just dry heaving. There is a strong headache building behind his eyes and Harry is forced to breathe through his mouth; his nose is just too stuffed up. He feels completely undignified.

Louis gently shushes him, holding him even closer. “You will be okay, Haz.”

“Have to be,” Harry replies, but it almost doesn’t come out, given how fucked up his throat is.

Louis reaches for his bedside table to get a water bottle and hands it to Harry, who takes a few gulps gratefully. Louis sits up, putting a bit of distance between them, but reaches out to play with Harry’s hair when the Omega makes an unsatisfied noise.

“I’m sorry,” Louis says into the air, not looking at Harry.

“What for?” He asks, hoping Louis won’t add to the pain he has been suffering.

“I could feel something was wrong; I shouldn’t have accepted to surrogate for you.”

“Don’t be daft,” Harry dismisses, annoyed at it. “If there’s one good thing in the situation, it is that child.”

And... _Louis_. But it is not the time to dwell on something like that.

Louis doesn’t reply to that, so Harry lets his eyes close, emotional exhaustion hitting him hard. He yawns, hiding his face against the pillow that smells of Louis. It does help to quiet his distressed heart a little bit.

Louis must still be watching him closely, because he gets up to turn off the lights before cosying himself under the soft blankets with Harry.

Harry moves closer, almost on instinct, so they are properly touching. The comfort is the extra layer he needs to let himself be pulled into sleep. He can start dealing with the mess his life has become tomorrow.

Harry wakes up disoriented. The pillow under his nose doesn’t smell of Nick; there are no traces of the man in the room at all. When he moves around, he realizes the sheets are a soft cotton, not the usual silk Nick prefers in their bed. The light is coming from the left side of the bed, not from the balcony beyond the foot of the bed, like it should. Harry vaguely thinks he must be dreaming.

But then his brain processes the scent around him: Louis.

The happenings from the night before hits Harry hard, and he kind of wishes he stayed unaware of the world for longer. 

He takes a deep breath and stretches a bit on the bed, taking the rest of the sleep out of his body. With a bolt of courage, Harry gets up and makes his way to the bathroom.

The reflection that faces him on the mirror looks normal enough, even though Harry feels different than he was before. His hair is mussed and there are prints on his cheeks from the pillow case, but it looks like his usual just woken up self. The slight puffiness around his eyes could be written off as that as well. To anyone looking from outside, Harry is still the same person he was twelve hours ago.

It is almost disappointing. Harry wishes there was a physical sign that something changed, so it would be a tangible problem to deal with.

He washes his face with cold water and relieves himself before properly taking in the sounds of the house. The TV is on softly in the living room, so Harry can guess that’s where Louis is. Beyond that, it is awfully quiet.

Harry automatically makes his way to Louis, who looks up immediately upon hearing Harry’s footsteps by the doorway.

“Hey, Haz,” Louis greets him softly, “how are you feeling?”

Harry shrugs, not knowing how to identify specifically and externalize what’s going on inside of him, “Okay.”

“I made us some lunch, there is a plate for you in the microwave,” he offers, still watching Harry with a gentle smile. Harry thinks it looks like the same expression his mum had when dealing with him at age of eight, when his pet fish had died. He is going through loss all the same, even if the circumstances are wildly different.

He wishes he were mourning a pet fish.

Suddenly, the words Louis said sinks in. Lunch?

“What time is it?”

“Uh,” Louis searches for his phone before finding it under a cushion, “Almost one.”

Harry’s eyes widened desperately, “I missed my morning shift at the shop.”

He has never missed a shift before; he loves his job too much to risk losing it.

“No, you’re fine,” Louis stands up and walks towards Harry, putting a hand on his arm comfortingly, “Don’t fret, I called them early today and said you had some sort of stomach bug.”

Louis steers Harry towards the kitchen and makes him sit down on a stool before turning on the microwave and letting it heat Harry’s food. Harry watches as Louis grabs some cutlery and sets the plate in front of him, then sits down across from Harry on the counter, still with that sympathetic smile on his face.

“Thank you, Louis,” Harry says sincerely, and the emotion behinds it almost makes him start crying again. He hopes Louis hears that it is not just for calling in sick for him, or for the food. It is for holding Harry at the lowest moment in his life and it is for staying when even his own Alpha wouldn’t, when nothing at all ties Harry to Louis and vice-versa.

“Harry,” Louis takes both his hands between his own and looks at Harry straight in the eyes, “I’m not leaving. The life growing inside of me is yours. Nothing will change that. We will figure out everything else. Okay?”

Harry nods his head, but his lips tremble and before he knows, there are tears leaking out of his eyes again. He is just so emotional, and grateful for Louis’ existence.

“Oh, Haz,” Louis walks around the counter to him and envelops him in a warm hug until he gets himself under control. “Let’s take the food to the couch so you can eat and cuddle at the same time, yeah?”

Harry still isn’t ready to speak, so he nods against Louis' shoulder and they make their way to the living room.

Louis arranges Harry so his back is supported by the armrest, legs over Louis’ thighs. Harry quietly eats as Louis’ hands rub up and down, from his calves to his knees, in a soothing pattern. He doesn’t recognize the show Louis is watching and doesn’t care enough to pay attention to it, so he tries to focus on the task of eating and breathing calmly.

It works until he is done eating, and then as he washes the dishes. He is still alright when he comes back and lays his head on Louis’ thigh while he finishes whatever show that’s on. Showering in a problem, though. 

There is a bunch of stuff that Nick left behind in the cabinets. The used towels still have his scent on them. Harry finds himself crying again under the sprays of hot water. He cries over how unfair life is and how wrong he was about his expectations for the future. His plans and dreams go down the drain with the soapy foam until he feels hollow inside. When he gets out and dries himself, he cleans away the tears too, even though his red rimmed eyes aren’t hideable at this point.

Louis finds him a half an hour later, staring at the empty half of the closet, where Nick’s clothes used to be. At least he doesn’t cry again, but the scene does take yet another piece of him. He vaguely wonders how many there are left.

“C’mon, darling, let’s get you dressed and out of here,” Louis gently hands a pair of sweatpants and a soft shirt to him, “I’ll take some of your clothes and toiletries to one of the spare bedrooms.”

Harry does as instructed and realizes the clothes only have his scent on them. He doesn’t know how Louis found them so quickly, but it is definitely another thing to add to the list of blessings Louis managed to pull for the past 24 hours.

When he is dressed, he follows the noise he hears and finds Louis storing some changes of clothes in the dresser of the room farthest from the master one.

“Can you make the bed for me, love?” Louis requests, throwing some clean sheets on the bed before Harry even answers.

He does. He can keep himself busy; it is easier than to spend time with his thoughts.

Harry can see Louis busy making trips to and from the other bedroom and bathroom, bringing Harry’s things over slowly. When they are done, Harry curls up on the newly made bed and emotional exhaustion hits him like a train wreck once again, even though he’s been awake only a few hours and the sun hasn’t even set yet. He can’t stop the long yawn he lets out, so he tries to cover it with his forearm.

“Tired, Haz?” Louis asks, sitting down by the side of the bed and caressing Harry’s hair gently.

Harry nods.

“I’ll let you get some more sleep, then. If you need me, I’ll be downstairs, alright?”

Harry nods again, burrowing his face in the neutral smelling pillows and closing his eyes, hoping unawareness will take him quickly enough that his mind doesn’t start working. Louis gives him a last pet and stands up, turning off the lights and closing the door with a soft click behind him. 

Harry welcomes the darkness and lets his body shut down for a while longer.


	5. Chapter 5

The week passes much the same way. Harry gets out of work claiming to be sicker than he originally realised he was and Louis has to steer him around to make sure he is eating. But it gets a bit better each day, with breaks between the bolts of sadness turning progressively longer.

When Harry manages a whole six hours awake with no tears, Louis takes him to Nick’s study.

“I know this isn’t easy, but we are two Omegas living in a house under the name of an Alpha. We need to sort this stuff out.” He explains as he gathers all the documents Nick left behind for Harry and drops them in front of him.

Harry piles them up slowly under Louis’ watchful gaze.

Louis is right, obviously. He needs to figure out his money situation, the house, the surrogacy. So many things that Nick left behind for him to deal with. The longer he postpones his obligations, the bigger are the odds of something catching him by surprise. And that’s never good when it is to an Omega, much less two Omegas living together under the same roof. There are too many conservatives in the world for them to let things up to Fate.

Not like Harry has trusted _her_ in a while.

He clears his throat, getting his bearings straight as he faces his circumstances. Faces the facts.

“You don’t have to stick around,” he lets Louis know, well aware that this is his business and Louis doesn’t need to be involved in anything further related to the surrogacy.

“I want to,” Louis looks determined. “I’ll go make us some tea while you start reading.”

A new wave of affection and admiration runs through Harry. Louis truly doesn’t back down from things, and he has yet to show any signs of wanting to abandon Harry.

Louis makes his way out of the study, so Harry looks back at all the papers. 

Ownership of the house. 

Bank statement. 

Surrogacy contract. 

Legal mating affairs. 

Harry takes in a shaky breath. He can do this. 

The first document is the official ownership papers of the house, which is now under Harry’s name, according to it. All title transfer fees paid. It is simple enough. Harry recognizes it as a similar version to the one Nick signed after they bought the house. Feels weird that Harry didn’t have to sign anything, but then again, the law was very weird towards Omegas.

Well, there goes Louis’ main concern.

The next piece of paper is a bank statement confirming Harry doesn’t have any access to Nick’s account anymore, which he got, albeit limitedly, after their bonding was recognized by the government. 

Harry goes to grab his laptop from his and Nick’s room, wanting to check his balance and credit situation. He hasn’t looked at it for ages, not needing to. But now, it is better to make sure his payment from the flower shop is being deposited correctly and how much money he actually has to spend. 

“I thought I'd have to hunt you down,” Louis jokes when he walks back in the study.

He shakes his head with a small smile, “Nah, just looking for my laptop, thought I should check my bank account and stuff.”

“That’s smart,” Louis comments, clearly happy with Harry’s initiative. It says a lot about how much Louis was probably expecting to encounter a few obstacles in the way. Harry feels a bit ashamed, putting Louis through so much, making him take care of Harry while he is pregnant. In a way, Louis was just as abandoned as Harry.

Harry is relieved to find out that his salary is being deposited properly into his private account, which has a healthy balance since he basically never spent his own money before. Nick used to be very adamant about him paying for things for Harry.

What shocks him is when he opens his savings page. There is almost… _woah._ Harry’s intake of breath is so sharp that he sputters and ends up having a coughing fit.

“Alright, there?” Louis comes around to pat him on his back until he manages to get himself under control.

“Look, Lou,” he points to the lit-up screen, still not being able to process that amount of money.

“Holy shit!” Louis looks from the number to Harry with wide eyes, “what the fuck, Harry?”

“Nick said he gave me half of his money, and I knew we lived a good life, but I didn’t know it was... like this!”

Harry’s shock turns into disbelief and then… it kind of hits him that Nick actually left him all this money to survive because… because he won’t ever be here to support Harry and their pup again. He wants to scream at the top of his lungs, but he has to settle for taking a very long breath and closing the website.

“Well, shit, Haz,” Louis sits back down across from him. “I’m glad he took care of you, at least financially.”

“Yeah, and I can pay you in full for your surrogacy and make sure the baby has a good life even with a single Omega for a mum.”

Harry hates that he has to think that way. Louis doesn’t reply so Harry looks up and finds him frowning angrily.

“What?” Harry questions, not sure how that reaction came to be.

Louis’ eyebrows furrow deeper and he cradles his bump. “Nothing.”

Harry can tell there is more to it than that, but Louis’ tone is firm and makes Harry back down from interrogating the topic further. Instead, he takes the third paper from the makeshift pile and realises that it is a copy of Louis’ surrogacy contract, with a few alterations highlighted. The main one is confirming that Harry will be the one signing the baby’s birth certificate and will have sole custody rights. It is signed at the end by Nick, but there are two blank spaces, one for Harry and another one for Louis.

Harry chews on his lips, trying to gather courage to speak up about the document. Maybe Louis won’t want Harry to care for the baby on his own. Maybe this changes things. It would explain Louis’ face earlier. The child is half Louis’, biologically, it makes sense that he would want what is best for the child.

“What is it, Harry?” Louis asks, looking skeptically at him from the other side of the table.

“Nick changed your surrogacy contract,” he explains, handing the new pages to Louis so the Omega can read it for himself. Harry watches his face flicker through a series of emotions, but each one is gone too quick for Harry to identify.

He eventually settles on a too neutral expression and hands the pages back to Harry, “I can sign it now if you want. I promise I won’t take your child from you, though.”

Harry smoothes the paper down.

“It’s fine,” Harry shakes his head, putting the document behind the others, “We can talk about it later. I trust you.”

Louis’ shoulders sag in relief and it makes something itch inside of Harry. He wants to ask Louis what changed, why he doesn’t seem to want the exact deal as before anymore. But he feels like it is a conversation neither he nor Louis is ready to have yet. At least, he isn’t ready to let go of Louis and the fantasy of having his and Nick’s child. Not just yet.

Harry takes the last thing on the pile and almost wishes he hadn’t read through it. He can feel the tears gathering in his eyes, vision going blurry before he blinks frantically to get them to stop coming. He is so tired of crying, even if he can’t help the sharp pain shooting through his heart.

Mating divorce papers. 

Nick was truly serious about letting their bond dissolve.

He scans his eyes over it quickly, seeing words like _maintain their distance to let the bond fade_ and _annulment of civil bonding rights_. Harry refuses to believe Nick would sign this document, even if the ink on the last page proves otherwise. He drops the sheets on the table, bringing his shaky hand to his face to wipe away the tears that managed to make their way down his face.

“Haz?” Louis calls to him quietly, worry clear in his tone.

“If I don’t sign it, we can just throw it away when he comes back, right?”

Louis’ eyebrows raise, but his demeanor stays the same. Harry gets hit by a wave of calming pheromones that feel a lot like Louis, so he lets his body relax against the chair. Nick’s chair.

“I don’t think it works like that, love,” Louis keeps his voice low and sympathetic.

Harry shakes his head. He can’t handle this right now.

“Nick made a rushed decision, it’s okay, he will come around. We can fix this.” He tries telling Louis convincingly, but his voice trembles. Harry hates himself for it. So he just restacks the papers and puts them in the drawer. “Everything with money and the house is sorted, so you don’t have to worry,” he gets up, ending the conversation before he makes an even bigger fool out of himself.

Louis looks like he wants to argue but refrains from doing so. He stands up wordlessly, takes both their empty mugs and makes his way downstairs.

Harry kind of wants to go after Louis and apologize. He isn’t sure what for, though, so he just lets out a long breath and leaves the study, closing the door firmly behind himself.

He isn’t looking forward to going back in there anytime soon.

Slowly, it gets better. Louis and Harry create a new routine for themselves around Harry’s longer and more frequent shifts at the flower shop and Louis’ reduced working hours. Harry is content when he doesn’t think about the fact his Alpha has abandoned him, broken their bond. 

He realizes he can barely feel it anymore.

When did that happen? It hasn’t been that long... He wonders, if Nick came back now, would his Omega instinct identify him as his mate at all? 

He hopes so. Harry wants them to rebuild their relationship. He has to be patient and wait for his mate to come back, because _he will_ come back for his family. Nick is a good person; he was probably just—confused? The time away might do him some good. It might give Nick a different, better perspective on their bond.

But, until that happens, he is creating a life for himself. He is owning his own money, he is buying everything his baby girl will need when she is born, he is taking care of Louis. 

Louis’ doctor’s appointment that was supposed to happen the week Nick left had been postponed. It was fortunate, because Harry managed to be present for the ultrasound revealing the gender of his pup. A girl, probably an Alpha, according to Dr. Miller, but the secondary gender would only be confirmed after birth.

Harry’s lone presence raised questions in the office, where everyone knew Nick but hadn’t taken notice of his departure from their pack. Thankfully, Louis dealt with the scrutiny spectacularly, making up a sound story about Nick’s work and Harry using the opportunity to surprise the Alpha with the gender reveal. 

Harry would be lost without Louis.

Wonderful, kind, patient Louis, who doesn’t waver even during the hardest days, when sadness envelops Harry’s whole body and he feels like he can barely move under the weight of it. The same person who is caring Harry’s daughter for him, like the most selfless Omega in the world. 

But even more than that, Harry would be lost without the little things that make all the difference to his days. Like when Louis smiles genuinely happily when Harry comes home from a full day of work. Like when even though Louis doesn’t like pickles he makes sure to cut them in perfectly sized slices for Harry when he makes hamburgers. And the not-so-little things, like how Louis gave up half of his bed for Harry to spend the nights once he figured out Harry doesn’t sleep well on his own, plagued by weird dreams that lead to him waking up more tired than when he fell asleep. 

Harry really hit the jackpot finding a companion in Louis. What they have between them feels warm and safe in a way his inner wolf rejoices. He hopes he doesn’t have to let Louis go when Nick comes back. He will fight to keep Louis in his life.

Harry turns off the stove. The chips he’s fried for Louis look ready enough. Louis claimed it was a pregnancy craving, but Harry doesn’t buy it for one second. He bets Louis just likes his junk food way too much. But who is he to deny the Omega, seven months pregnant with his pup? He puts the chips on some paper to absorb the extra oil and makes a cup of tea for Louis, knowing he will appreciate it. 

His phone rings from its place on the counter, _Mum_ flashing on the screen. He takes it, fitting the phone between his ear and shoulder and making his way to Louis with his food and drink. He tells her to wait while he makes sure everything is alright with Louis, then drops himself on the loveseat across from his place on the couch. “Okay, I’m back.” 

“How is everything going, darling? What did Louis need?” She asks, the worry in her tone making Harry smile fondly. 

“Everything is great, mum. Louis is fine, he was just craving some chips so I made him a plate.” 

“Good! Pregnancy cravings are serious business, Harry.” 

“I know,” Harry rolls his eyes and Louis snickers from his place on the couch, clearly amused by Harry’s relationship with his mum. 

“Are you sure we can’t meet Louis?”

Harry lets his head fall against the back of the seat and groans, “Mum, we already talked about this.”

“I just think it’s weird.”

“Well, you disagree with a lot of stuff I do, can we not fight about that tonight?” 

“Alright,” She gives in, “And how is Nick?”

“Oh, hm,” Harry fumbles, caught between what he wants to tell his mum and what Louis knows about reality. He averts his eyes from Louis, not wanting to see his reaction to what Harry says. “Nick is fine, just working a lot to get ahead of the hours he will miss when our baby girl arrives.”

“But he isn’t being neglectful, is he?” The distrust in her voice makes something pang in Harry’s heart.

“Of course not, mum! Can you please stop being so skeptical of Nick already? It’s been four years.” Harry realizes he sounds way more defensive than he normally does when Anne questions Nick’s care for Harry, given he usually just ignores her remarks. He holds his breath, hoping she won’t point it out.

Thankfully, she lets it go again, “Sorry, H. You know, I just get worried about my baby boy, no matter how much older you grow.” 

He sighs, “I know, mum. How are things over there?”

When Anne starts telling a story about her friend, Harry tunes back in his surroundings and realizes Louis is giving off heavy pheromones, his scent turned sour, a burnt tone to his usual spiciness. He looks over to find Louis’ face contorted in distaste as he watches Harry. 

Harry feels his cheeks burn, being at the end of such a look. 

“Mum?” He cuts her off, “I’m sorry to interrupt you but I forgot I have a thing now, I have to go. Can I call you back later?”

It is such a bad excuse. Harry has to thank the universe that Anne isn’t in one of her pushy moods today when she answers with an agreement. 

“Sure, darling,” she says easily, even if a little hesitant, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. Bye, mum, love you.”

He hangs up before she can finish replying, dropping his phone on his lap. He squirms in his seat under Louis’ intense gaze. 

“Louis?” Harry calls to him. Louis doesn't reply, so Harry elaborates, “Louis, I can feel your anger and distress from here. What happened?” 

“What happened? Are you for real Harry?” Louis spits out, making Harry recoil further against the armchair.

“Yeah?” He asks unsurely, feeling like a scolded child, even though he can’t see a reason for it.

Louis scoffs indignantly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Why are you lying to your mum?” 

“Because there’s no reason to worry her over a temporary setback! It will only make her dislike Nick even further and strain their relationship. I don’t—”

“There is no relationship for her to strain, Harry! Nick broke your bond and abandoned you with an unborn child! She should hate him! _You_ should hate him!” Louis stops shouting, panting as he watches Harry, “You are the one straining your relationship with her with this needless lying.” 

The words feel like a slap to the face. Harry slowly brings his knees up, hugging himself tightly for comfort. Louis doesn’t mean what he said. He can’t mean it. 

The silence around them stretches for a long time. Louis’ pheromones leave the air, clearly being controlled by a now calming Louis. But his outburst still hangs in between them. 

“Harry, I’m sorry,” Louis whispers. He takes a few slow steps towards Harry. It looks like he wants to reach out but is waiting for Harry’s permission to do so. 

Harry can’t possibly give it. Not when it feels like Louis has physically grabbed his heart out of his chest and twisted it. His ears are ringing, and for the first time in months, he doesn’t want to be in the same room as Louis anymore. He pushes himself up on shaky legs and starts for the stairs. 

“Harry, I —”

“Please, Louis, I,” he cuts off, not knowing exactly what he needs, but it is not Louis’ apology. “Just give me some space.” 

He doesn’t wait to hear or see Louis’ reaction. He runs up the stairs and locks himself in the guestroom he has been using as his own when he isn’t in Louis’ room. 

Once again, Harry feels alone.

A couple of hours later, there’s a knock on the door. Harry groans internally, well aware of the only possibility about who is standing on the other side. He has calmed down significantly from when he first closed himself inside, but also – the hurt is still at the forefront of his mind. 

_He abandoned you_ plays in a loop inside his head.

The worst part is that he knows. Harry feels it every day in the loneliness that follows him around, in the hollowness that replaced the presence of his mate in his mind. It is an ever-constant fact that haunts him, which only makes it harder to confront it head on.

There’s nothing he can do but hope that Nick will come back and make things right again.

Harry doesn’t exactly feel ready to face Louis yet. But he figures he doesn’t have many options, with them sharing a house and Louis being pregnant. So with a sigh, he pushes himself off of the bed and pads to the door, unlocks it.

He is immediately faced with a sad looking Louis. The sight alone makes him want to go ahead and pretend nothing happened, just so the expression can leave Louis’ face and never return. Louis plays with the sleeve of his hoodie nervously, eyes skipping between his feet on the floor and Harry. He bites his lips, looking unsure, before speaking, “Harry, I’m so, so sorry about what I said. It was completely out of line and I understand if you want me to pack my things and go.”

“What? No!” Harry properly steps out of the room, shocked that Louis considered moving out, “of course you don’t have to leave!”

“But, Harry, I was horrible to you.”

“It’s fine, I don’t —”

“It’s not fine.” Louis cuts him off with finality.

“Okay, it’s not fine,” Harry agrees, “but it will be. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me and I can forgive you. I want you here.”

Before Harry can process Louis moving towards him, he has an armful of Louis. He hugs him back across the shoulders, burrowing his nose on Louis’ hair and inhaling his scent, that’s now softer, calmer. They bask in each other, soothing their inner wolves for a few seconds. Eventually, Louis pulls back, looking more relieved, even if still a bit guilty.

“I made you a yogurt and fruit bowl. You haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.” Louis tells him softly, taking Harry’s hand and gently pulling him out of the room.

Harry feels a deep satisfaction at being taken care of by his Omega, at being physically close to him again. It is kind of funny, he thinks, how his instincts have bounced back from the whole ordeal, prioritizing his relationship with Louis over anything else.

For once, Harry doesn’t overthink it, he just easily lets himself be taken to the kitchen to eat.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Masturbation in the first scene of the chapter.

When Louis has just started his seventh month of the pregnancy, Harry’s heat hits him. For as much as Harry knew it was going to happen, his cycle very regulated, it still catches him by surprise. It is his first heat since Nick left, the first one without Nick since he was nineteen.

He wakes up hot and uncomfortable, his skin pulled too tight on his body, and he freaks out. The horniness falls to second place in his mind as it becomes harder to breath and he doesn't know how to proceed with things. He barely remembers his heats before Nick; all he knows is that they were too long and tiring.

A hand on his shoulders startles him on the floor, where he sits hugging his knees to his chest.

“Oh, Haz,” Louis’ voice breaks through the thick fog forming in his head, “you’re burning up already.”

Hands pull him up and make him sit down on the bed. “Stay here,” Louis says, so Harry nods and stays still like he asked to. He has to be good for his mate.

He isn’t sure how much time passes but Louis eventually comes back and starts dropping off items. He puts a black box near Harry on the bed, then a hoodie by the pillows and some water bottles on the bedside table.

“Harry, I’ll come and check in sometimes, okay?” Louis stands in front of him suddenly, keeping intense eye-contact with Harry. He nods in response.

“Good boy,” Louis praises him, making a shot of arousal shoot through him, reminding him what is going on. Louis reaches a hand out to pet his hair comfortingly, “Remember to drink water, alright?”

Harry purrs, rubbing his head against the hand in his hair more insistently when it stops moving.

“Harry, please answer me. Do you promise to drink all of the water bottles I left for you?” Louis pressures.

Harry has to answer, so he searches his brain for the right one. He whispers “promise” in reply, resuming his happy purring when he is rewarded with more petting.

“Okay, good luck, babes,” Louis kisses the top of his head before stepping back and turning away from Harry.

It makes him feel distressed. He can’t figure out what he did to push his mate away. He frantically reaches out to Louis, “Lou? Where are you going?”

“Just downstairs, I’ll be back to check on you later. Use your box, yeah?” Louis explains slowly, still stepping backwards towards the door. “Bye, darling,” he says when he reaches the hallway.

Before Harry can stand up, the door closes, and he is cut off from Louis. A whine breaks out of his chest; he’s needy for affection and for someone to touch him. 

He catches Louis’ scent again, weaker but present in the room. He confusedly looks around for its source, sniffing around until he can find it. Harry finally finds the sweater Louis left behind. It is the light blue one that Louis is always wearing around the house to keep warm. 

His first instinct is to put it on, but another wave of heat hits him and all he wants to do is get out of any piece of clothing. So he does, then puts the hoodie back on his pillow and lies down on the bed, burrowing his face on the comforting mixture of sweet and spicy from Louis’ scent. His body feels wired up, pent up energy bottling up for an eventual explosion and making Harry desperate.

He wastes no more time, too aware of the heavy weight between his legs aching to be touched. He adjusts his feet on the bed for better leverage and takes his cock, pulling it away from his stomach.

The first firm contact makes him twitch, eliciting a groan out of his chest. He gathers the precome leaking out of the head to start off and uses it to ease the friction of the initial pulls in his cock, knowing there is no need to pretend he will last long. The sense of urgency is steadily growing inside of him, making him need to get that first orgasm out of the way to breathe.

Harry can feel how wet he is, slick dripping down on the bedding, but he forces himself to stay focused on his dick for now, hoping a fast orgasm will clear his foggy head for a little while.

He picks up speed, squeezing his fist just right on the upward strokes to get himself on the edge faster. He is breathing erratically and the mixture of slick and sweat already makes him feel gross, but it also feels so good. The scent on the room is getting stronger by the second, sticking to the roof of Harry’s mouth and making his wolf claw its way to the surface of his brain.

He turns his head to the side to get a better scent of the hoodie under his head and an image of Louis on top of him flashes through his mind. Harry’s breath catches with the picture painted behind his eyelids, and all it takes for him to go over the edge is a thumb pressing under the sensitive spot under the head of his cock.

It is intense, like most orgasms under the heat haze are. Harry’s body completely tenses up and he moans unabashedly before his body melts onto the bed. He slows down his stroking as the waves of orgasm weaken, legs spasming randomly on the sheets.

When he finally feels like he is no longer going to burn alive, Harry cleans his dirty hand on the bed and rolls out of the wet spot he created, with a grunt. He knows that soon there won’t be a clean dry spot to roll onto, so he will enjoy it while he can.

Harry closes his eyes and moves around until he gets more comfortable, hoping to fit in a nap before his next wave. But a second later his eyes widen in shame, flashbacks of what just happened coming back to him. Now that his brain is regaining logical thoughts, Harry is hyper aware of the fact he thought of Louis to make himself come.

His cheeks burn in humiliation and he is extremely glad that the rooms are reasonably well scent and noise proof. The last thing he needs is Louis figuring out Harry wanked to him in his daze.

He forces himself to take a few deep breaths and calm his heart. There is no way Louis will know what happened; he should be fine. When he is mostly all right, he looks around the room and his eyes land on the bedside table. There are at least five water bottles there, making him remember Louis asking him to drink them all. Harry sighs. Louis is so considerate and wonderful and beautiful.

It is better to keep hydrated before the heat waves get worse and his coherence is totally lost. So Harry reaches out and opens the first bottle his hand connects to, gulping down half of it easily.

It is going to be a long couple of days.

Harry’s heat breaks exactly two days later. It was a short and relatively mild one, so Harry comes out of it feeling less exhausted and disgusting than usual. When he wakes up on the third morning feeling rational and not at all horny, he breathes out a relieved sigh. He lets himself take a final nap before his rumbling stomach gets the best of him. 

He showers thoroughly and dresses himself, knowing Louis will be probably out of his room as it is almost noon. He doesn’t need to be flashing Louis or carrying the scent of his come around the house. Once he is done, Harry makes his way to the kitchen quietly. He is just opening the fridge when Louis joins him.

“Haz, how are you feeling?” Louis asks him, eyeing him up and down to assess any possible damage.

“Hey, Lou. I’m fine. Tired.” He gives Louis what he hopes is a reassuring smile before turning back to dig out some ingredients for a fry up.

A hand pushing his hips out of the way gets his attention. “Go take a seat, Harry. I’ll make you some food.” Harry opens his mouth to protest, but Louis beats him to it. “I insist.”

So Harry nods his agreement, walking around the counter and seating down on one of the stools. “Thank you.”

Harry watches as Louis takes the ingredients from the fridge and lines them up near the stove. He uses the opportunity to take in the Omega’s form for the first time since their initial meeting. Pregnancy clearly suits Louis. The big bump and slight swell of his breasts only accentuate his already curvier features, making him look both soft and sexy. It is unbelievable.

Harry knew, from the moment he saw Louis, that he was incredibly attractive, but it is even more obvious now that Harry knows him more intimately. He watches as Louis cracks the eggs on the frying pan and notices how pretty his wrists are. That shouldn’t be a specifically beautiful part of someone’s body, but Louis clearly breaks a few rules with his existence.

He is broken out of his reverie by Louis calling out his name. He looks up and finds Louis watching him amusedly. His cheeks blush in embarrassment for being caught staring.

“Still a little out of it?” Louis asks, turning back to flip the bacon.

“Yeah,” Harry agrees, glad that there is an easy justification for his behaviour.

“Heats do take a lot out of us, huh?” Louis gives him a sympathetic smile over his shoulder, making Harry’s stomach flutter.

He hums another agreement.

They stay quiet for a few more minutes, until Harry remembers a question he has been dying to ask for a while now, but never gets around to.

“Lou?” He calls out and waits for Louis to show that he is listening. “Why are you a surrogate?”

Louis tilts his head pensively while he starts filling up two plates with food. He puts one on each side of the counter along with two glasses of apple juice, then takes a seat across from Harry. He has made them a full plate of scrambled eggs, sausage, mushrooms and toast. Harry salivates at the sight and the smell of it. “This looks amazing, thank you so much, Lou.”

Louis gives him a crinkly eyed smile in return, and Harry's heart feels like goo inside his chest.

He watches Louis for a second, but when nothing else comes from him, Harry shakes his head to clear it and grabs a fork to start digging into the food. Louis will answer him if and when he is ready.

The first bite feels like heaven. He can’t help the moan that escapes his mouth when he tastes food for the first time in two days, and amazingly good warm food at that. He feels like thanking all the Gods above for putting Louis in his life and for the breakfast in front of him.

Louis laughs from his place, clearly loving Harry’s reaction to his cooking.

“Calm down, Haz, it’s just scrambled eggs there,” Louis jokingly teases him, making him blush slightly.

“Shut up, it’s really good,” he mumbles back, not having swallowed all the food yet. Louis wrinkles his nose in mock-disgust but his eyes remain joyful.

Harry is almost halfway done when Louis speaks up again.

“So, about your question,” Louis starts awkwardly. Harry figures this is a topic Louis doesn’t usually talk about it, so he looks up to give him his undivided attention. Louis fiddles with his fork. “To be honest, I started looking at surrogacy because of the money. But I quite like the idea of giving couples something they couldn’t have otherwise, you know? I like helping them build their families.”

“I think it’s a beautiful thing to do, Lou,” he tells Louis truthfully. He is in awe of Louis and how he gives life to people. “If you don’t mind telling me, what do you need the money for?”

“So I can give a stable future to my family, when I have one. Omegas are usually paid so much less than Alphas, so I wouldn’t be able to provide properly without some extra savings.”

Harry thinks it over. “But you wouldn’t have to, that is your Alpha’s job,” he counters.

Louis looks at Harry like he isn’t understanding something obvious, “Not if I don’t have one.”

“What do you mean?” Harry thinks he knows what he means, but he needs Louis to explain it to him in all words. It feels important.

“I don’t really see myself mating an Alpha, Harry. I’m more partial to Omegas.”

Oh. 

Well, that’s not exactly what Harry thought he would say. He thought Louis would be one of those people who don’t believe in mating... or something.

Except, this makes sense.

Louis said it with such finality, completely sure of the fact he wants to be with an Omega. It’s not something Harry has ever considered for himself.

The memories from his heat surface back and Harry feels himself flush. Maybe his wolf instinct was a few steps ahead of him, knowing that fantasizing about another Omega was a possibility. Harry had never really questioned his sexuality before, didn’t feel the need to.

Now that he thinks about it, the only people he knows who aren’t in a traditional relationship are his mother’s neighbours, two Alphas. But why? How different can it be from classic bonding?

The silence must have stretched on for too long, because Louis clears his throat uncomfortably, “I hope that’s... not a problem?”

“No!” Harry is quick to reassure, ashamed for reacting negatively to Louis’ revelation. “Not at all, sorry. It’s just, you’re the first, uh...” He fumbles for a word that isn’t offensive, “...queer omega I’ve met. But, uh, it’s cool. Like, you love who you love, right?”

“Yeah,” Louis gives him a bright smile, making Harry relax. “And I do identify with the word queer. You can use it to describe me.”

“Oh, good,” Harry nods. He kind of wants to ask more, like how Louis figured it out or what made him feel the need to question the status quo, but he holds back for now. It feels snoopy.

Louis chuckles and shakes his head, and Harry wonders what he’s done now. He goes back to eating, but raises an eyebrow questioningly at Louis.

“I can feel the questions forming in your brain,” Louis comments, tone dripping with amusement.

Harry feels his cheeks reddening for what seems like the hundredth time that day. “I don’t want to overstep any boundaries.”

“You can ask me anything; just be respectful. Like you usually are.”

“Maybe later,” Harry compromises. He doesn’t want to put his foot on his mouth. Time to think everything over will be helpful. Even better when he doesn’t have remnants of heat tiredness in his mind.

“Alright. I’m here whenever you need me.”

Harry knows. He always seems to be.

When Louis is in his last month of pregnancy, Harry’s conglomeration of emotions starts to make him think about the future too much.

Since his heat and some interesting conversations with Louis, Harry has been attentive to their dynamics. They haven’t signed the new surrogacy contract yet. Louis doesn’t seem to have any plans of leaving, subtly leaving hints about wanting to keep the pup he is carrying.

At first Harry had thought Louis wanted the baby girl to himself, but then he noticed that Louis’ offhand comments included him—Harry—in his plans. When they even discussed names together and decided on Melanie, like it was the most natural thing for them to do, Harry was sure Louis meant he wanted to be part of their family, not just take Mel for himself.

Harry realizes he likes that. His wolf purrs in contentment at the anticipation of settling down with Louis and their pup.

But it also scares Harry. A lot. The prospect of moving on to someone new so fast is terrifying. He isn’t sure he would be really ready for it anytime soon. The rushing comes from their unusual room-mates and co-parents situation.

He wonders if maybe he is looking at Louis like he could be more than a room-mate because he is the only one who knows Harry’s situation and _sees_ him, accepts him. But the more Harry thinks it over, more he thinks it might not just be a rebound thing.

It must be Fate.

He promised he’d stop relying on her almost a year ago, but he can’t help handing his destiny back to Fate. He has been strangely hopeful lately. It doesn’t help that his inner wolf is extremely satisfied, possessive over Louis in a way he never felt with Nick, clawing at the back of his mind and telling him Louis is the one. Maybe it is about time Harry started following his instincts.

He is pretty sure Louis feels their closeness too. More often than not, he finds them automatically planning for a life with Louis after Mel is born, like it is natural that they wouldn’t just part ways. Louis hasn’t felt like a surrogate for a while now. He feels like a partner, like Mel’s...Mom? Dad? Parent?

Well, that’s something they would have to figure out.

Things haven’t become romantic between them, and Harry doesn’t even know if he could possibly approach that yet. Even with his newfound feelings and self-discovery, he still hasn’t moved on from Nick. He still catches himself waiting for his Alpha to come back on the bad days. Which, sure, they happen less often with each passing week… but still. 

It’s all a lot to handle. 

And Harry is getting so ahead of himself. He doesn’t even know if Louis also feels like there is the possibility of a relationship with Harry or if Louis wants to build a family with him. They haven’t talked things out. At all. Harry is going by guesses around how Louis treats him, how reciprocally his wolf seems to be in sync with Harry’s. He really needs to sort this all out.

“Haz?” Louis’ voice breaks him out of his thoughts, calling out from his place on the loveseat in the living room. 

Harry hums absently to show he is listening, even if his eyes stay trained on the crossword puzzle that he is pretending to do.

“Maybe we should leave... start anew.” 

Harry whips his head towards Louis briskly. His heartbeat picks up at the topic he wasn’t expecting to discuss today, or ever, breaking the peacefulness of their evening. 

“What?” He whispers, wishing he misheard Louis.

“You know, leave this house. It’s so big; you keep finding things with Nick’s reminiscent scent on them and it makes you sad. I could end the lease on my apartment, too. Then we get a smaller place together, with a little backyard for Mel.”

Louis speaks softly, clearly wary of Harry’s reaction, and it makes something tug on Harry’s chest. Louis is so lovely. Harry wants to build a life by his side so bad by this point. But no matter how wonderful Louis is, Harry isn’t ready to let go completely. If he leaves the house, there goes any chance left of being there when Nick comes back. A small part of him still wants to wait.

“I –” he starts but chokes up. 

He takes a deep breath to calm himself down.

“What if he comes back, though?” 

Louis freezes. 

His face looks stormy for a second, before settling on something more dismayed. 

“I wouldn’t bet on it, love.”

“He might,” Harry argues stubbornly, even if it sounds weak.

The worst part is, Harry is very much aware that his wolf doesn’t even recognize Nick as his mate anymore, that he can’t feel their bond and it has certainly broken completely by now. But it feels wrong to let himself give up on the father of his pup. So wrong. 

His tone must’ve shown how torn and vulnerable Harry is still feeling, because all Louis does is sit sadly. “Okay, we could wait until after Mel is born, maybe?”

It still hurts to think that Nick will never meet his daughter. That he abandoned her, didn’t even give her a chance to show him how amazing she will turn out to be. Harry feels tears welling up in his eyes and he inhales slowly to try and stop them. 

“You really don’t think he will come back? At least to meet her?”

“I’m sorry, Haz, I don’t. It’s been three months of radio silence.”

Harry knows that. He knows exactly how many days and hours it has been since his mate left him behind. Ex-mate. Nick. But it is not like three months is a long time, even if he has been feeling every second of each day in detail. 

“I know how long it’s been, Louis,” he snaps.

Louis puts his hands up in the same placating manner he always uses when he realizes he pushed Harry too far too fast. Harry hates that he recognizes it.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to upset you,” he stands up slowly, then wobbles his way to the couch and fits himself next to Harry carefully, taking his hands in his and making eye contact directly with Harry. “I’m sorry, yeah?” 

Harry feels the fight drain out of him so he brings Louis’ hands up to his chest and holds them close, “No, I’m sorry for snapping. It’s just…” he breaks himself off frustratedly, not knowing exactly how to explain to Louis how he feels without feeling pathetic. 

“I know. You still have hope,” Louis says, easily enough. It manages to sound both understanding and absurd. Like Louis understands Harry feels that way but doesn’t see any sense to it. 

It makes Harry feel something sharper that boils under his skin. Suddenly, he wants to scream at himself for being such an _asshole_ while Louis is being more compassionate than he should be.

“I’m so sorry, Louis. I keep expecting you to wait around for me like an idiot. I’m no better than Nick. You are over eight months pregnant, having to deal with just as much as I do. You shouldn’t have to deal with this crap too.”

“Harry,” Louis chastises him. He takes his hands from Harry’s and brings one up to the spot between Harry’s forehead, smoothing out the frown lines there. “I cannot expect you to get over your mate of four years in three months, even if Mel gives us a bit of a deadline. It wouldn’t be healthy. We’ll go slowly, but steadily.”

Louis is the most brilliant person Harry has ever met. His lips tremble and he can’t help the tears filling his eyes again. 

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“No need to thank me, love.” Louis uses his thumbs to clean the tears that fall down, smiling reassuringly at him. “I kind of really want us to work, alright? And if that means baby steps and waiting however long it takes for you to let go of Nick, then that’s what we will do.”

Harry tips his head, rubbing his face against Louis’ palm affectionately. 

“I want us to work too. Just, not yet. Soon.”

He turns his face and kisses Louis’ hand, sealing his promise. Louis’ eyes shine in return.

_Soon._


	7. Chapter 7

“Harry!” Louis shouts for him, sounding quite frantic. Adrenalin immediately rushes to Harry’s blood and he has to swallow down his fear to dash his way towards the living room.

“Louis?” He calls back, halfway down the stairs.

“My water just broke and I am having contractions.”

“Oh my god, oh my god,” Harry has barely set foot on the first floor of the house and he is already running towards Louis’ room to quickly grab the bag they prepared for this occasion. It was done weeks ago and left behind the door, just in case. He is so grateful for being overly prepared, now.

Before he can rush back, he sees Louis coming down out of the living room and towards him.

“Louis, what –”

“I need to change into a dry pair of pants before leaving.”

“Right,” Harry wants to smack himself for forgetting to make sure Louis is comfortable. He takes Louis by the elbow and holds him around the waist tightly for support, helping him sit down on the toilet’s lid. “I’ll bring a clean pair for you.”

He quickly finds a new pair of boxers and Louis’ soft grey sweatpants.

“Here,” he puts the items on the sink. Louis is already naked from the waist down, wet clothes in the hamper by the bath, so Harry tries to respectfully look away, “I’ll be right outside.”

Alone in the hallway, Harry is extremely aware of the fact his heart is pounding against his chest as anxiety threatens to boil under his skin. But he tries his best to look relatively put together for Louis’ sake.

Louis emerges a minute later, so Harry immediately goes to his side to help him walk. “C’mon, to your car.”

They make their way out the fastest they can manage with Louis wobbling.

The drive is tense, Harry’s fretful energy filling in the air as Louis swears his way through a couple more contractions. It is a relief when they stop the car by the main entrance of the hospital.

Harry gets out and lets them know his Omega is in labour. Quickly, a nurse with a wheelchair comes to get Louis.

“We will get him to a room, but you have to stop by the front desk first with both your documents,” she explains to him, then promptly turns around and takes Louis inside. Harry doesn’t even have time to ask him if he is still fine. Everything is happening so fast.

He walks to the reception in a daze, asking the first attendant what he must do.

“Just hand me your IDs and I’ll get you all sorted,” she tells him.

“What is your relationship to Mr. Tomlinson? You aren’t listed as one of his emergency contacts or close family members.”

Shit, Harry and Louis forgot about changing that. It actually didn’t even cross Harry’s mind that he could be prevented from joining Louis in the labour room.

“We haven’t updated our information yet, but I’m his mate.”

She sniffs him unsubtly and raises an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, Mr. Styles, but only direct family or pre-approved parties are allowed inside in case of labour.”

“I can’t miss the birth of my daughter!”

The nurse scoffs. “Are you bonded?”

“Not yet,” he half lies, not backing down from being there for Louis. If he has to go home to get his surrogacy contract and risk not being able to join Louis’ labour, he will be more than annoyed. “But I swear I’m the closest thing to family that will show up and I won’t miss the birth of my daughter!”

Something in his tone made the nurse waver her conviction a bit, but she is still looking at him judgingly. “I’ll check what I can do with my superior, Mr. Styles.”

Harry has to refrain from lashing out, his wolf suddenly making an angry appearance for being kept from their mate in such an important moment. He takes a few deep breaths to calm down, waiting for the woman to come back.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to wait long until another nurse comes out asking, “Are you Louis Tomlinson’s mate?”

“That’s me, what happened?”

“He’s asking for you, come along,” he waves him inside.

But when he takes his first step towards him, the other woman on the front desk intervenes. “They aren’t related and he’s not one of the Omega’s emergency contacts.”

The nurse rolls his eyes, “Whatever, Mary, they are clearly together and we can’t have an Omega going into labour in distress. He wants this man there, so he will be there. Just send their IDs to room 28.”

The man takes Harry by the arm and pulls him inside along him. When they are out of earshot, he sighs, “Sorry about her. Traditionalists are the worst.”

Harry looks at the nurse surprised, but finds the man giving him a sympathetic smile.

He reciprocates it. “It’s alright. Is he okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, just going through contractions, the usual.” 

Harry’s worries are easily dismissed.

The man stops by a closed door, so Harry freezes besides him, waiting for further instructions.

“Go on,” the nurse gestures, “He needs you. I’ll be back in a few to check his dilatation. For now, all he can do is breath through the pain.”

Harry swallows, the anxiety from before, that was numbed by the frustration at the front desk, comes back in full force. He takes a deep breath, trying to tame it down once again. He can’t let it get the best of him today. Louis needs him, and he won’t disappoint.

With a last long exhale, Harry opens the door to reach his Omega.

Harry can hear Louis moving on the bed, slowly waking up.

He doesn’t look up yet, though. The tiny creature in his arms is too precious for him to take his eyes off of her any second before necessary.

After a few hours of labour, Louis had healthily given birth to Melanie Styles, or possibly Styles-Tomlinson. Harry doesn’t know yet. The only thing he does know, now, for a fact, is that she isn’t a Grimshaw. She is the most perfect thing he has ever seen, clearly a product of love. She won’t carry the name of abandonment.

Louis passed out only a few minutes after she arrived, exhaustion catching up to him quickly. The nurses wasted no time taking her away for cleaning and check-ups before carefully handing her to Harry.

Harry couldn’t keep a few tears from falling as he watched her sleep in his arms, the image so mesmerizing that he has been sitting in the same position by Louis’ side for over an hour now.

When Louis’ scent changes, Harry forces himself to tear his eyes away from Mel’s tiny body and finds Louis already watching him with a fond, tired look.

“Hey, sweetheart, how are you feeling?” Harry whispers from his place on the armchair, not knowing how sensitive Louis is to sound.

Harry can see Louis’ eyes moving down to look at Mel, who Harry is still holding close to his chest and lulling slowly.

“Do you want to hold her now?” He asks, still keeping his tone soft.

Louis nods, making grabby hands towards them. 

“Please.”

Harry stands up and carefully hands her over. She makes a little fuss, but eventually cuddles up to Louis, clearly recognizing the scent that surrounded her during the past nine months. Harry’s heart feels like it could burst with how much affection is flowing out of it.

Harry sits on the bed facing Louis, and starts rubbing Louis’ thigh in what he hopes is a soothing up and down pattern. Louis relaxes against the bed, looking back up at Harry and grinning.

Harry can relate to that. He feels silly, but he’s so happy. He can’t help but give Louis a bright smile of his own, tears of joy threatening to spill from his eyes again. He can’t believe this is real.

They just watch each other and Mel for a while, basking in the peaceful moment. Harry tries to take in everything in that moment, so he can cherish it forever.

He stops when he notices the bags under Louis’ eyes and a wave of protectiveness fills his chest. He realizes he means what he said to the nurse when they arrived. His wolf truly sees Louis as his mate, and Harry can’t believe it took him so long to catch up to that fact. He has been so blind.

Harry doesn’t need anything besides the two beings in front of him in his life. It was about time he got his life in order. Nick isn’t part of his future. He hasn’t been for months.

It takes a little courage, but Harry finally makes himself talk. 

“Lou?”

“Yeah?” Louis looks up at him curiously.

“He’s not coming back.”

Louis doesn’t ask who Harry is talking about, he just nods and gives Harry a sympathetic look. “I don’t think so, love.”

Harry has to hold back from fidgeting, but he needs to face this straight on. He locks eyes with Louis, staring straight at him in determination, “If you still want it, I will start looking for a new place and put his house up for sale. We can start afresh, the three of us. You and Mel are all I need.”

The corner of Louis’ mouth tugs up, but he still asks, “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Harry confirms. He is completely sure of this. It feels more right than anything else felt in the past couple of years.

“Then I’d love that, Haz.”

Even though they agreed to get a house and raise a child together, Harry and Louis don’t really step into a relationship or do anything towards the move for a while.

The first few weeks with Mel are tough, as neither of them has had experience taking care of a newborn child. It is hectic, filled with feedings and diaper changes and unsatisfying naps.

Harry properly gives in almost one month in, when he realizes his heat is due soon and he can’t just leave Louis alone. So he calls his mum, invites her to lunch and comes clean about everything.

He had lied to her at the hospital when she visited, saying that Nick had to run out to get some last-minute supplies. Then every other time she went over to visit Mel, it was conveniently at a time Nick was supposed to be working. Anne was pretty unhappy about him not taking paternity leave and kept pressuring Harry to explain why his scent was so weak around the house.

As predicted, she got even angrier when she discovered what had really happened, and how Harry hadn’t shared the truth with her for months.

After enduring a long lecture and sharing a few tears, Harry properly introduces Louis to Anne. He also then sheepishly admits that what made him build up the courage to reach out to her was his approaching heat.

Harry really has to thank his lucky stars for blessing him with such a cool mom, who didn’t hold anything against him. Five minutes later she has agreed to his request.

“Of course, darlings,” she smiles brightly at Louis and Harry, holding Mel close to her chest. “When should I come over to pick up this little angel to spend a few days with grandma?”

Harry chokes on air at the implication. That’s… not what he meant at all.

Louis starts fumbling his way through an explanation as Harry catches his breath, both Omegas blushing profusely at Anne’s forwardness.

Anne watches them amusedly, “Harry, you know I don’t care about that stuff, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know mom, it’s just,” he stutters a bit, “Louis and I aren’t really at that point yet, I think. So what I meant is for you to help Louis out a bit so he can get more than a couple of hours of sleep at a time.”

“And you don’t have to,” Louis intervenes. “I told Harry I’ll be fine, but he insisted on asking and I’m not going to say no to a few solid hours of sleep.”

Anne rolls her eyes at him good naturedly, “Of course I will come. Have Harry give me your number and we can work out a schedule. I’m sure you want to stay here to make sure he’s okay.”

“Yeah. I’d rather not leave him alone here, vulnerable like that,” he reveals easily.

Harry’s heart grows in his chest with affection from Louis. He will have to take care of a newborn on his own but he is still worrying about Harry’s well-being.

“Harry, can you go make us all some tea?” Anne asks pointedly, not subtle at all.

Harry has half a mind not to leave Louis alone with his mum to talk, but he knows she will get her way eventually, so he sighs resignedly. “Sure, mum,” he turns to look at Louis; “Mint?”

“Yes, please,” Louis squeezes his thighs before he stands up, leaving the three of them behind in the living room.

He’s sorely tempted to eavesdrop but his mum wouldn’t have it. He can’t help fidgeting while waiting for what seems like an eternity for the kettle to boil.

When he finally goes back to the living room, a cup in each hand, Louis is smiling brightly at Anne. The air is clearly filled with love, and maybe gratitude?

Harry hands his mum and Louis their cups and sits back down on the couch. Conversation flows easily between the three of them, only paused for cooing over something Mel does and once when she fusses a little.

Harry watches as Anne tells a story about her time breastfeeding Harry as Louis feeds Mel on the armchair, and he can’t help but smile to himself, wondering how he got so lucky with Louis and Anne.

He can’t believe it he ever thought he needed anyone else to make him whole.

After Harry’s heat, with his mum’s active participation in their lives, Harry and Louis manage to get things done much faster. They give Louis’ landlord his notice and bring all of his belongings to the house. They find a nice beta realtor who didn’t have a problem with dealing with an Omega couple, put Nick’s house on the market and started viewing potential houses for their newly formed family.

Everything happens fast, but perfectly. They get a few good offers on the house and close the contract just as they find the perfect home for themselves.

It’s smaller than Nick’s: two storeys, with three bedrooms. The backyard is small but there is a garden and a nice park a few blocks down in the neighborhood to make up for it. 

The decision is easy to make. 

By the time they celebrate Mel’s second month of life, they are in a new home.

There are boxes strewn around, the furniture isn’t really where it will be in the long term and the list of small maintenance items that they need to get back to is running long, but it doesn’t make the house less theirs.

Now that he has a whole room just for him, no memories or leftover scents attached to it, Harry realizes he has underestimated the effects that living in Nick’s house and sleeping in his bed had on his emotional health. It is like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders for the past few days, and he can properly breathe.

He still ends up in Louis’ bed most nights. 

The new environment combined with Mel’s cries makes for reduced hours of sleep. It tends to be easier to relax and actually rest for a few hours with Louis next to him.

Harry knows there is also the fact that his inner wolf wants to be near the one he identifies as his mate, and that Louis’ scent is particularly calming to him, but dwelling on that makes him remember they haven’t addressed defining their relationship.

That’s a can of worms he isn’t sure he wants to open just yet.

Harry doesn’t think of Nick most days. When he does, it doesn’t fill him with overwhelming sadness like it used to. He knows that he is at a point where he can open himself up to Louis, for whatever their journey might throw at him. But, it is still hard to take that leap. It is strange to think he doesn’t want Nick in his life anymore. If he had to choose between Louis and Nick, by now, he would choose Louis in a heartbeat. Though that feels like such a huge step it’s scary.

And it isn’t just the romantic side of things that make Harry anxious and insecure. There’s also sex to worry about.

He has never had sex with another Omega before. Never even thought about it as a possibility for him until Louis turned his world upside down. And yes, the flashes of images of Louis in different positions when he lets himself fantasize are... amazing. Harry knows he wants to have sex with Louis, no doubt. But it still doesn’t change the fact Harry doesn’t know what to do, how to approach things.

What if Harry is unskilled at pleasuring another Omega and Louis gives up on them as a couple? That’s a plausible possibility. Why should Louis stick around if Harry can’t satisfy him? Harry needs to be a worthy mate.

Louis calls out his name from the doorway, effectively cutting off his thoughts.

“Yeah?” He turns around to look at Louis, turning off the faucet and putting down the dish brush.

“Where did you put our clean towels? I want to shower while Mel is sleeping.”

Harry looks around a bit trying to think where he put them. He distinctly remembers washing them and then moving them into the drier, but he can’t remember putting them away.

“I’m... not sure I ever took them out of the drier?” He grimaces at his own bad memory.

Louis chuckles, “You don’t misplace your head only because it’s stuck to your neck,” he mock-chastises Harry, but blows him a kiss before heading towards the small laundry room by the kitchen.

Harry smiles and turns back to the sink. Things with Louis are so nice and gentle. He doesn’t get actually lashed out at for being forgetful, or for getting things wrong. Well, things that don’t matter. Louis did get frustrated with him when he forgot to pay their water bill, but then he took responsibility for keeping track of bills after that.

Louis walks past him with a pile of towels, asks him to keep an ear out for Mel for a few minutes and quickly makes his way upstairs.

Harry finishes washing off the last of the cups with soap on them and starts methodically drying everything. It is a calming repetitive action that makes him settled, somehow.

When he picks up a bottle with little cartoon flowers on it, warmth spreads across his chest and he smiles down at it.

It is crazy that Melanie is two months old already. She is the most perfect pup ever, and sometimes he can hardly believe he gets to call her his.

He got to witness her first feeding. He is watching her hair change every day, the black strands she was born with falling out and giving way to a softer brown tone. He can’t wait for her first tooth to grow in or to get to help her crawl for the first time.

Being a parent turns out to be exciting, gratifying. Even in the midst of being clueless about so, so many things and the cumulative tiredness of having to be aware at all times of another defenseless little creature, it is still the best thing that has ever happened to Harry.

And it is even better because he is lucky enough to get to share it with Louis.

Louis did eventually sign the new surrogacy contract, so Harry could be Mel’s mum legally, even though he hadn’t been the Omega to give birth to her or to have an actual blood relationship with the pup.

But both men know it doesn’t mean Harry is more Mel’s mum than Louis. They are in this together. Co-parenting even if things end up not working out between them, whenever they decide to try it out. Harry sees everyday how attached they both are to one another, and he would never break that bond purposely. Mel has already lost one parent; he won’t take another one from her if he has any say in it.

Not that she needs another parent. The three of them; they have each other. It is a perfect family on its own.

When Harry is done, he can’t hear the shower running anymore. He slowly makes his way upstairs, checking that doors and windows are locked and turning off lights as he goes.

He passes Mel’s room and sticks his head inside to find her still in her crib. He steps away quietly, not to disturb her sleep, satisfied now that he has seen that she is alright.

The door to his room is right next to hers, across the hall from Louis’. He hovers by it, trying to decide either to go in or to just go ahead to Louis’ bed. He will end up there anyway.

But not even trying to sleep by himself feels like admitting something important. Maybe too significant for them yet.

With a resigned sigh, Harry opens his own door and slips inside, leaving it ajar in case Mel cries out for one of them. He changes into some comfy night clothes and climbs in bed. Before he can turn off the lights, though, a figure shows up at the door.

Harry jumps slightly, but chuckles through his rapidly beating heart when he sees Louis. “Louis! You’re so sneaky.”

“Sorry,” Louis apologizes sincerely, his lips turned up amusedly. “I just came to get you.”

“What?”

Louis rolls his eyes and leans against the doorframe. “C’mon, Haz. I don’t fancy being woken up in half an hour when you eventually climb in my bed.”

Harry is caught by surprise by Louis explicitly talking about their bed sharing incidents. He fumbles a bit, but is interrupted by a now frowning Louis.

“I didn’t mean it to reprimand you, Harry. I’m sorry. I only meant that you should get there before I fall asleep.”

“Okay, but you don’t have —”

“Harry,” Louis gives Harry a look that says he’s being obtuse, so Harry shuts up. Louis reaches a hand out: “I sleep better with you too.”

Harry releases a breath, relieved. He stands up from the bed, turns off the bedside lamp and grabs Louis’ hand.

Louis gives him a reassuring smile and guides them to the master bedroom. They each climb in on their respective sides before Louis presses the light switch and plunges them into darkness.

Harry adjusts himself on his side, so he is facing Louis. Louis is mirroring his position, and Harry can vaguely see his silhouette. There is a good half a meter between them, but that’s fine. Any closer and Harry would probably end up cuddling Louis through the night.

“Goodnight, Haz,” Louis whispers.

“Goodnight, Lou.”

Louis hums happily, turning around so his back is to Harry and adjusting himself until he is comfortable. Harry watches as he finds a good position, then as his breathing slows down until Harry figures he is asleep.

The steady presence calms and comforts Harry, and soon enough he feels his eyelids get heavy. But before he goes under, a thought comes to him: he is right where he should be.

He should never have questioned Fate.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making out at the end of the chapter.

They go on like that for months. It is a safe routine that makes Harry feel settled deep inside him, in agreement with his wolf.

Harry and Louis’ friendship has really blossomed in the time they’ve been building their lives together. There is a huge mutual respect between them, and Harry truly admires Louis.

He realizes that if he thought he had feelings for Louis before, now he is head over heels. It has been long enough and it doesn’t feel like a desperate action of attaching himself to the first available person. Him and Louis really work well together, and he knows they would be a solid couple. They strive for the same things: a family, a quiet peaceful life, being free to be happy. And Harry thinks they’ve found those things in one another.

It is funny, how by now Harry is yearning for more with Louis. He catches himself longingly staring at Louis sometimes, wishing they could be holding hands or kissing each other in greeting. It is the last step of intimacy that their weird upside-down relationship needs to be complete.

But Harry doesn’t have the courage to be the one to initiate that.

Every time he thinks about bringing it up, or maybe kissing Louis, or asking him out on a date, he freezes. He somehow gets scared his feelings aren’t reciprocated and that Louis is happy with them being strictly friends.

Sometimes the logical side of him tells him how absurd that is, that Louis wouldn’t have bought a house and shared his bed with him if things were platonic, but he can’t shake off the irrational fear of rejection.

His wolf instincts get restless sometimes, sure that Louis is the one and that he is the one for Louis. He has accidentally scented Louis way too many times because of it, the action always leaving a tingly satisfied feeling deep inside of him.

In the end, Louis has probably gotten tired of waiting for Harry and beats him to the topic.

It is Sunday night, the night before the day Harry goes back to working at the flower shop. Louis’ maternity leave is over, but he has managed to arrange his shifts at the animal rescue centre – on alternate days. So they decided that Harry would do the same, only opposite. They are both reluctant to leave Melanie under the care of someone else yet. And with the simple life they live, alongside the fact Nick’s money ensures they don’t need to pay for emergencies with money out of their own salaries, they don’t really need to work more hours per week.

They are seated at the kitchen table, Harry making a grocery list for shopping after his shift tomorrow while Louis drinks tea.

“Harry, you know how we bought a house together five months ago?” Louis asks Harry from his place on a chair across from him, bringing him out of his musings about what vegetables to get this week. It is conversational, like he is talking about the weather.

“Yeah?” Harry replies indulgently, even though he doesn’t really see where Louis could possibly go with that question.

Louis smiles at him softly, “And you know how we have a daughter together?”

Harry only grows more confused. “Yeah, Lou.”

“And you know I love you very much, right?”

“I love you too,” Harry reassures him, wondering if that was the point of the weird conversation.

Louis huffs, exasperated. “No, Harry. _I love you_ ,” he explains pointedly.

_Oh._

Harry blinks a few times, not expecting _that_ subject so suddenly. He is in love with Louis, too.

It feels so good to be on the same page, to have his feelings reciprocated in such an easy way. Louis has said it so simply, like it is just a common fact. Harry can feel a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Me too, Louis.”

Louis’ timid smile grows impossibly big, until his eyes crinkle and he exhales joy. 

“Do you... want to go out on a date with me on Friday?”

“What about Mel?” Harry asks before he can think better of it, too used to having to account for the baby every hour of every day.

Louis laughs and shakes his head in disbelief. “Is that the only thing stopping us from going on a date? Because, darling, we can find a babysitter for one night.”

“Okay,” Harry agrees easily, then. The idea of going on a date with Louis makes him incredibly happy; he won’t pass up the opportunity. It feels simple, like it is supposed to be happening.

“Okay?” Louis asks incredulously.

“Yes,” Harry narrows his eyes, wondering why Louis reacted like that. “What did you want me to say? Did you want me to turn you down?”

Louis shoulders sag and he lets his weight drop down to the back of the chair. He shakes his head and laughs softly. 

“Well, yeah, that’s what I was expecting, actually.”

Harry snickers. doesn’t understand what goes on inside Louis’ head sometimes. “Then why did you ask me out?”

“I took a leap of faith.”

It is such a heartfelt admission, that Harry feels himself melt in a pile of goo inside. He reaches out for Louis’ hand and kisses it gently, before intertwining their fingers together on top of the table. 

“I’m glad that you did.”

When Harry gets home on Friday afternoon, Louis makes him pack his outfit for their date and basically kicks him out of the house, telling him to get ready at his mom’s with the promise of being there for him at eight.

Anne is excited, talking about Louis and Melanie as they drink tea in the kitchen. She is actually happier than Harry has ever seen her when talking about Harry’s love life, from his high school boyfriends to Nick.

“Mum,” he starts off when she pauses her ramblings to take a sip, “How come you like Louis so much?”

Anne’s face pinches in confusion, “What do you mean, darling? Is he not treating you well?”

“He is; Louis is wonderful,” Harry rushes to reassure. That’s not what he meant. He clears his throat, “I mean, you never liked anyone I’ve been with before. And you really hated Nick at first.”

“I didn’t hate him. We just had different views on life. I knew you deserved better.”

How could she? Nick used to be exactly what Harry thought he deserved.

“I really loved him, though,” he retorts quietly, almost afraid to admit it and be met with judgement or resistance.

“I know, baby. I’m sorry,” Anne apologizes, her eyes looking truly remorseful. “I should’ve been more supportive. Then maybe I’d have known when things started going wrong and could have helped you get out of it sooner.”

It feels wrong to have his mum take the blame for his bad life choices, so Harry shakes his head to stop her. “I don’t see it like that. You don’t have any blame.”

Anne hums. It is not an agreeing sound but it shows she has heard him. “You will always be my baby boy, so I feel responsible for things. Even if you think it doesn’t make sense. You have Mel now; you will understand soon.”

Yeah, he probably will. He doesn’t feel like arguing her point, so he settles for saying “okay” and effectively ending the topic.

His mum seems to be on the same page because she looks at the clock on top of the kitchen doorway. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your date?”

Harry looks up too, following her eyes it is almost seven already. He stands up in a rush, not having realized so much time has passed. “Yeah, I’m going to shower. Are there towels in the bathroom?”

“Under the sink, like always.” Anne shoos him out towards the hallway.

He doesn’t have much time to waste, so he takes his bag and heads straight to the bathroom for a quick shower. He dresses in a pair of dark jeans and a button-down shirt. It is blue with darker bees printed on it, and he hasn’t worn it in ages. He’s glad there is an occasion for it again.

With still almost half an hour to go, he takes his time styling his hair away from his face and putting on some makeup he has: just a concealer for the bags under his eyes and a soft rosy blush. Once he is satisfied with the image reflected back at him in the mirror, he puts everything away and goes back to the living room. His mum makes a little scene of applauding and telling him how good he looks and that Louis will swoon over him.

Harry blushes, flattered by her enthusiasm, but tries to hide it behind an embarrassed groan. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long before the doorbell rings, and Anne is distracted by the new company.

“My favorite girl is here!” Anne exclaims in a goofy voice, prompting Mel to fall into a fit of giggles. Harry smiles, completely charmed by anyone who makes his little pup happy.

Louis seems to concur with the sentiment, because he grins widely at Anne as he greets her and hands Mel over. Harry hovers behind quietly, waiting for that interaction to be done.

He takes the time to look Louis over. He is dressed in all dark jeans too, along with a simple graphic shirt under a black blazer. It accentuates both his shoulders and the curviness of his body well, and Harry can’t help staring in admiration. His gaze is only interrupted by Anne trying to push him out of the door, claiming that everything will be okay and wishing them a good time.

Harry reels back, taking a moment to kiss Mel goodbye before he follows his mum’s orders, and then meets Louis outside.

“We promise we will be back before midnight,” Louis tells Anne from the doorstep. 

“Don’t rush. Mel will be just fine with grandma, won’t you my darling?” Anne coos over the attentive girl, who’s reaching out to grab some of her hair strands.

“Alright, let’s get going, Haz?” Louis puts a hand out for Harry to take, which Louis takes gladly, and they walk down the sidewalk towards his car.

Harry looks down at their intertwined hands and giddiness fills up his chest until the feeling almost explodes.

“Where are you taking me?”

“It’s a surprise,” Louis replies mysteriously, waggling his eyebrows at Harry. Harry pouts in return so Louis will have some mercy on him, but Louis just laughs and shakes his head “Don’t give me that look. You’ll like it.”

He opens the door for Harry and waits for him to climb in before softly closing it and making his way around the vehicle.

The drive is short. In only twenty minutes they are parking outside a bowling alley. Harry is immediately excited. He used to love bowling, but hasn’t done it in a long time. Of course Louis would figure out a great first date for them. He is just too perfect to be real sometimes.

Louis turns off the engine and turns to look at Harry with a timid smile. “They have a good restaurant, too. I thought we could play and eat, or eat and play if you’re hungry now.”

“I’m not too hungry and I do love bowling,” he comments excitedly.

Louis grins wide, eyes squinting at Harry, “Good. I’m glad.”

“I’m totally going to win,” Harry teases Louis, who he knows can be a bit competitive.

Louis gasps, mock-affronted. “We will see about _that_ , Harold!”

“That’s not my name!” Harry says but it gets lost, Louis already out of his seat and closing the door. He rushes around the car to open Harry’s door for him, completely managing to put Harry under his spell even further. He lets it be known, “You’re spoiling me.”

“You deserve to be spoiled,” Louis tells him as he takes his hand and guides him towards the building. Harry has to bite back from smiling like an idiot.

Inside, the end lane is available so they take it to avoid as many people as they can. Thankfully, their hostess is a lovely beta woman and smiles at them reassuringly, before getting them settled and excusing herself. 

In the end, Harry doesn’t win. He knows he isn’t really good at it, even though he thoroughly enjoys bowling. But he wasn’t expecting Louis to be _so_ good.

“Did you bring me here to show off your skills?” He asks Louis skeptically, after they are seated in a booth in the restaurant.

“No,” Louis answers, but it doesn’t sound truthful at all. His eyes are twinkling in mischief, and it looks to Harry that he did just that, exactly.

“Well, I’d be more upset about losing if the fact you used high weight balls and got four consecutive strikes wasn’t so hot,” Harry says, trying to keep his expression and tone innocent.

Louis chokes on air and then barks a laugh, making Harry pleased to get such a reaction from him. It is what he was going for.

And it is completely true. It was hot, even if it shouldn’t have been. Harry ended up staring at Louis’ arm muscles most of the time he was up for a round, which he never noticed before because they are so... discreetly defined. They strained wonderfully as Louis played. And played impeccably, at that.

Harry has to admit he has a type: men who excel.

Also, men who look like they could hold him up if the opportunity arose. Or men who create a family with him and birth his daughter. Louis is definitely the whole package deal.

“Well, I’m glad someone appreciates my talents,” Louis retorts jokingly, sending an exaggerated wink in Harry’s direction.

He takes a sip of his drink for the pause, smirking when Louis’ eyes follow the movement. He hums teasingly. 

“I really appreciate them.”

Louis laughs softly under his breath, shaking his head at Harry’s antics. It looks like he will call Harry out on it, but the waiter comes back with their food, so he is cut off.

They eat slowly, keeping the conversation going easily between bites. It is calm, and so lovely.

Louis laughs when Harry tries to steal some of his food, but then just steals some right back, declaring it’s only fair. He laughs at all of Harry’s attempted jokes, even if he does take the piss out of the very worst ones. By the end of the night, it feels like they have spent most of their time with smiles on their faces and chuckling between themselves. Harry could ascend; he feels so light, elated.

They sing along to the radio on their way back, and too soon they park outside Anne’s house. They sit in silence for a minute, so Harry uses the opportunity to watch Louis, who is looking right back at him with peaceful joy in his face, surely mirroring Harry’s own.

“I kind of don’t want the night to end,” Harry confesses quietly between them.

Louis makes an agreeing sound, “It’s alright. We’ll do this more times.”

“Yeah,” Harry breathes out, “Thank you for tonight. It was wonderful.”

Louis replies with a grin spreading on his lips. “I’m glad you think so.”

They stare at each other for a few more seconds. Harry mentally traces the lines on Louis’ face, illuminated by the streetlight just ahead of the car.

His eyes end up on Louis’ lips, and he watches as the soft smile turns smug. He looks up at Louis’ eyes and the stare he finds is intense with purpose.

He won’t let Louis keep being the one to make all first moves, though.

“Can I kiss you?” Harry rushes out before he can second-guess himself.

Louis’ expression dissolves with tenderness. Instead of replying, he shifts so he is completely facing Harry and brings a hand up to cup his jaw. His thumb rubs soothingly for a bit, and it makes Harry catch up to the fact he needs to move too.

He adjusts himself and slowly leans in until they are breathing in each other’s air. The car is getting dense with anticipation and slightly anxious pheromones coming off them, but it is mixed with hope and desire. He licks his lips, almost tasting all the feelings, and he can feel more than see Louis copy his actions.

That does it for him. With one last breath, he pushes his mouth against Louis’.

The kiss is immediately reciprocated with enthusiasm, the hand on his jaw slipping up to grab his hair and angle his head so they fit better. Harry lets Louis take control of the situation, coaxing his mouth open until they are kissing deeply. He feels himself start producing slick and the weak but constant thrum of arousal coming from Louis, but neither men move to act upon it.

It feels extremely intimate, languid without desperation getting in the way. It is like they have all the time in the world to discover each other’s taste and explore their mouths. Harry loses track of time, distracted in keeping up with Louis and breathing through his nose. He vaguely thinks he could kiss Louis forever if he had the chance.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. Louis slows them down and pulls away, resting his forehead against Harry’s.

Harry tries to kiss him again but it’s unsuccessful, Louis laughing under his breath at Harry’s reluctance to stop kissing.

“We should get Mel so your mum can go to sleep,” he reprimands Harry weakly.

Harry sighs in resignation, pecking Louis’ mouth one last time before untangling them and leaning back into his seat, “Yeah, we should.”

Louis’ mouth is puffy, wet with what he is sure is Harry’s own saliva, and it makes an incredible image. He imagines he isn’t much better, if Louis’ lustful stare is anything to go by. But they just breathe, getting themselves in order to be presentable in front of Harry’s mum and their daughter.

Louis curses under his breath, leaning over to peck Harry chastely one more time and climbing out of the car. Harry takes a moment to fix his hair, then follows him outside and up the path to his mum’s door.

Anne greets them nicely in her robe, but her nose immediately wrinkles. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything, just pointing them to her room, where they find Mel laying all cozy in her grandma’s bed.

Louis quietly takes Mel to strap her in the car seat while Harry gathers their bags, thanking his mum again and wishing her a good night’s sleep.

They hold hands over the console on their way home, their pup resting peacefully in the backseat. Harry feels happier than ever, extremely content with the way his life is turning out.

He really wouldn’t have it any other way.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making out in the second scene of the chapter.

After their first date, kissing becomes a reasonably common occurrence. It usually happens when they sit down to watch something together, or right before falling asleep tangled in one another. Once, it was while they waited for their food to cook and they ended up having soggy pasta.

It never leads to more, though Harry can feel Louis actively holding himself back. It is respectful and sweet, that he doesn’t push Harry’s boundaries. He is working on it, slowly. And it has been fun so far; Harry isn’t really feeling pressure to his limits immediately.

Their pace makes Harry feel young again in a way that he hasn’t in a couple of years. It is nice, like a breath of fresh air in his life. He wonders where his youth went for a while, as he is only twenty-three now. But in the end, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that he finally got to a point where he feels alive again. Louis is definitely the reason behind it.

It has been two weeks since their first date, and Harry plans to have a second one on Sunday. The weather forecast says they will have a nice sunny weekend, so he is getting things ready for a picnic in the afternoon. That way, they can bring Mel along but also get out of their routine.

The poor pup has started teething, which means she’s been extra fussy; they don’t want to leave her with someone else for long. Besides, he doesn’t fancy using his mum as a babysitter all the time.

He doesn’t have close friends anymore, not since he started seeing Nick, and Louis is a lone wolf too. Harry doesn’t know the story behind that, beyond the fact his friends and family not accepting his ‘lifestyle’ and basically shunning him out. When he moved to their present pack, he didn’t make many friends besides co-workers.

So, it is just them against the world. But it’s okay. It is working out just fine.

Mel complains from her place on the mat by the couch, where she is trying to move away from the position Harry put her. It’s very cute, seeing her struggle to roll over or trying to get into a crawling position. Harry smiles, knowing full well it’s not long until she will be wreaking havoc around the place. Soon he won’t be able to put her on the floor and know she will just stay.

He lets her try a little longer, giving her encouragement as he finishes folding the tablecloth and napkins to put inside the picnic basket he found hidden at the back of his closet. When the huffs and puffs start sounding whimpery, he puts things away and takes her, not wanting a full-on frustrated tantrum from the pup.

Mel whines and hides her face against his neck when he grabs her. Harry bounces her soothing, talking to her in a happy tone to try and show her everything is alright, “I know, mama is so mean, making you strain those pretty little arms and legs. But you did such a good job, my sweetheart. Yes, you did.”

Louis gets home from work and finds Harry still walking around with a wide awake Mel.

“Hi, my darlings,” he greets them enthusiastically for Mel’s sake.

She immediately lights up and makes grabby hands for Louis, so Harry hands her over before giving him a quick hello kiss.

Louis walks to the kitchen and Harry follows him, eager to see Louis after a long day.

“I made us some chicken salad. It’s in the fridge, so the lettuce would stay crunchy,” he tells Louis, moving to get things out and set the table.

Louis smiles at him in return, sitting down on a chair with Mel. “Thank you, love.”

Harry gets things ready quickly as Louis manages to convince Mel to stay in the high chair with her giraffe teether without crying. They settle down with ease, Louis telling him things that happened at work in exchange for Harry telling all the extremely-common-but-amazing-to-him things that Mel has done during the past eight hours.

“So, Lou,” he says when they’re both done and Louis is feeding Mel, “I was thinking, since we don’t work Sundays, that we could have a picnic on that big park near the edge of town, you know the one?”

“Yeah, I know which one it is,” Louis confirms before giving Harry a look. “Are you asking me out on date?”

Harry blushes but tries to shrug it off. “Kind of, yeah. But with Mel. A family date.”

“Sounds good, Haz,” Louis sounds fond with the idea, which eases Harry’s nerves a bit. “At twelve-ish? If we play our cards right, Mel might take an after-lunch nap and give us some time alone.”

“That’s what I was thinking too!” Harry can’t contain the excitement in his voice, glad that they thought the same thing. He looks down at the sleeping pup, clutching Louis’ finger even in deep sleep. “I love how she falls asleep so easily after eating at night.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Do you want me to take her to her crib?” He offers.

Louis shakes his head, “No, it’s alright. I missed her. I think I’ll hold her close a bit longer.”

Harry feels sympathy for him. It must be hard to stay away from Mel for hours, after carrying the pup for nine months and then spending another six practically glued together. Infinitely harder than it is for Harry.

“Alright, I’ll just do the dishes quickly, then you don’t have to stay here.”

“Please leave it, Haz. I’ll get to them tomorrow. Let’s just sit down to watch a movie or something.”

Louis' request seems genuine, so Harry agrees. He puts their dirty plates in the sink and follows Louis towards the living room. They settle down with Louis leaning against Harry, Mel carefully tucked against his chest.

Harry feels deep content, holding his family in his arms. With that thought, he turns on another episode of Modern Love.

Two days later finds the small family laying on a blanket by a huge mango tree. The sun is shining just the perfect amount of warm without causing them to excessively heat up.

Mel had a blast grabbing tufts of grass and giggling at birds and, once, a squirrel. Thankfully, after a bit over an hour at the park, she tired out. Now the sweet darling is asleep under the shade of the tree, looking as calm and peaceful as ever.

Harry doesn’t want to waste the opportunity, not knowing how long Mel will stay sleeping in a different outdoors environment, so he quickly plasters himself to Louis’ side. He rests his head on Louis’ shoulder as they watch a group of friends talk and drink on the other side of the small lake in the middle of the park, both sated with their bellies full of sandwiches.

Louis turns his head to look down at Harry, “When it’s properly summer, we should take Mel swimming. I think she’d like it.”

“Yeah, she did seem to want to jump into the lake for a minute there,” Harry recounts amusedly. The girl was going to be the death of them when she was old enough to act out all of the energy she appears to have.

Louis laughs softly, letting his head fall back, facing the sun completely. Harry uses the opportunity to cuddle closer, practically shoving his face on Louis’ neck and inhaling.

He knows scenting isn’t a thing he should be doing unashamedly in public, but it is not his fault Louis is so comforting to him. Besides, Louis doesn’t seem to mind. He just tilts his head and let’s Harry mix their scents as he basks in the sunlight.

Only when Harry runs his nose more forcefully along his pulse and drops a quick kiss into the soft skin does Louis manifest himself. “Careful, love. We wouldn’t want things to get heated up now.”

Well, maybe Louis doesn’t want that but Harry certainly wouldn’t say no to it. Actually, Louis’ remark makes Harry actively want to do something.

So he starts a path of open mouthed kisses until he reaches the sensitive skin behind Louis’ ear and starts nipping.

“Harry,” Louis warns him, but it only makes him chuckle against the skin.

One second he is there, the next Louis is pushing him down on their blanket and climbing on top of him, settling between Harry’s legs and keeping himself up on his forearms.

Harry’s heartbeat picks up with the scare of changing positions so fast, but soon it is thrumming with excitement in response to the lustful look Louis is giving him.

“You’re a menace,” Louis tells him, dropping his head down to Harry’s neck to reciprocate his previous scenting. From there, he brings his face up and kisses Harry straight on the mouth.

Harry brings his arms around the back of Louis’ head and plays with the hair at the nape of his neck as they kiss lazily. Louis tastes like grape juice, but Harry tries to chase it away until he has only Louis on his tongue.

The longer and deeper they kiss, the more Harry melts into the blanket. His legs open further, falling lax around Louis, which he takes as an opportunity to fit himself better between them. Their crotches align and it feels only natural to match the rhythm of their making out with unhurried rutting.

Louis balances himself in one arm and brings his other hand to grasp the back of Harry’s knee, folding his left leg until he has his foot planted on the ground. The shift in their angle makes their dicks press together better. Harry can’t hold back the groan that automatically makes its way out of his throat.

The loud noise freezes both of them. Harry reckons Louis realizes at the same moment as him that they are in public. In a very open space, vulnerable to anyone passing, and with their baby daughter sleeping a meter away from them.

Louis slowly brings his hand up and back down to the ground, using the leverage to push himself off Harry a little bit. He looks disheveled when he traces his eyes over Harry’s face, before clearing his throat. 

“We should, hm, finish this at home.”

Harry is still panting softly, adrenaline from everything that has happened in the past fifteen minutes running through his veins. He nods kind of numbly, “Yeah, at home.”

Louis sighs, and Harry sympathizes with the sound. He also wishes they didn’t have to stop. This is the easiest they’ve gotten to this point yet, with his brain always overthinking things when they get too heated, causing him to pull away.

But they _are_ in public.

Louis pecks him on the lips a few more times before sitting up on his heels between Harry’s legs. He climbs out from between them and drops down to lay next to Harry, both watching the sky and putting themselves together.

“Can we talk about it?” Louis asks suddenly.

Harry turns his head to watch Louis, and finds his position mirrored. “About what?”

“The fact you are usually as stiff as a board and it takes me a long time to coax you to relax, and today you just went to putty in five seconds.”

Harry feels his cheeks heat up at the forwardness of the statement. Looking at Louis for this talk seems too intense, so he turns back to face the few clouds painting the sky.

“I’m not sure what made today different, because it should’ve been harder to let myself go, right?” Even Harry can hear that he sounds uncertain, and it is probably what prompts Louis to hum in reply for him to keep going. “But, hm, generally, I get scared, I guess? Like, fear of the unknown. Maybe insecure is the best word?”

“Only you can know the best word to describe how you’re feeling,” Louis comments. It sounds odd, so Harry decides to look at him again. His brow is furrowed and he looks bothered.

Harry shifts his body so he is laying on his side, completely facing Louis, who copies him.

“You know I’ve never been intimate with another Omega before, right?” He asks, just to make sure.

“Of course I know that, Haz.” Louis’ frown deepens, but he doesn’t look like he will say anything else.

Harry swallows. 

“Okay. So, fear of the unknown,” he concludes lamely, hoping Louis will understand it.

They stare at each other for a few long seconds. Harry can practically see the gears turning inside Louis’ head, and it would be endearing if he didn’t look so troubled.

“Harry, I thought you knew but you clearly don’t, so I’m going to be stating some things I thought were obvious. I’m sorry for assuming.” Louis gives him a forced smile, watching Harry nod before continuing. “I don’t have specific expectations of you. I do want to have sex, but only when you’re ready. And I don’t want it because I think you have some sort of...sex skill. I want it because it’s you, us. I love you and I know that whatever we do, if we’re both into it, it’s going to be great. You don’t have to be scared.”

For some reason the talk makes him emotional, so Harry presses his face against the blanket to collect himself.

Louis is the loveliest man on earth, reassuring Harry so softly. He is so lucky to have someone who doesn’t pressure him, even though sex is something expected out of a relationship.

“Oh, baby,” Louis scooches forward and gathers Harry in his arms, settling them down with Harry cuddled on his chest.

Harry hooks his chin on his pectoral, looking up the underside of his jaw. “Thank you.”

Louis grips tightens for a second but the hold is gone soon, “You don’t have to thank me for being a decent human being, Harry.”

Harry disagrees, but he doesn’t say it. “Okay. I really do want to have sex, though.”

Louis chuckles. “We will. Whenever it happens, it happens. No forcing it.”

“Today wasn’t forced.”

“I know, pet.” Louis starts massaging at Harry’s scalp with the hand on his head, making Harry’s indignant fight leave his body. He hums in contentment, loving when Louis uses his nails to scratch just right.

“Don’t call me ‘pet’,” he comments quietly, almost as a second thought. The term of endearment doesn’t really bring up bad feelings or memories up this time around, like it probably would have a few months ago. But he would still rather not have that kind of connection between Louis and Nick. “It’s what he used to call me.”

“I’m sorry. I won’t.”

“Thanks.”

They stay like that, basking in each other’s presence and comfort until Mel lets out soft cries and Louis moves to take her before they get any louder.

Harry watches on happily as Louis talks to a sleepy Mel, tracing the fingertips of the hand not holding her up along her cute chubby legs.

The date definitely didn’t go as Harry expected, but it is alright. Louis and Harry will probably never be a conventional couple anyway.

They didn’t do anything more when they got home. Or for another couple of weeks. It took Louis scenting Harry after his heat when Mel was over seven months old to get things going. He was just too relaxed, feeling too good in his skin after the haze of desperation was gone, to be self-conscious or overthink things. So he had pulled Louis on top of him fully and asked him to do something, anything.

It was tentative and slow. Harry letting Louis take the lead easily, not being able to hold in breathy happy laughs between his soft moans. It was good, way better than his first time with any other person before. He didn’t know if it was because Louis is an Omega or if it is because he is _Louis_ , but in the end... it doesn’t matter much.

After that, they managed to get even closer. The intimacy that came with discovering each other’s body was incredible. Louis was always patient with Harry, allowing him to explore and figure things out without a rush. It did reduce their hours of sleep, but with Mel progressively sleeping longer each night, they made it work.

His next heat was spent with Louis, Anne taking care of Mel for them during those days. It was his first truly enjoyable one in years, and Harry came out of it elated. He knew, then, for a fact, that he would never have the connection he has with Louis with anyone else. It was simply not realistic.

He is still living on that high when Mel turns one.

Harry and Louis decide to throw a small party on the following Sunday to mark the occasion.

The guest list isn’t long. Anne, the gentle Alpha man she started seeing, Robin, and his daughter. Connor, a nice young Omega Harry works with at the flower shop, and who always asks to see photos of Melanie, looking at them longingly. Louis invites the couple of vets who run the animal rescue center he works at and the young volunteer-turned-employee who has been there for a few months now.

It is a tentative group of friends, with Louis just now starting to open up at his job and Harry having to start from scratch his social life. But Harry is proud of it. It feels soothing to have people to share with the happiness his baby girl brings into his life.

Harry is talking to Amy, one of the vets and Louis’ boss, and he is listening to her talk about how much she misses when her own pups were just turning one, because they grow up so fast. He is nodding along, sympathizing with her. He knows how Louis and he have blinked, to find Mel already holding onto things and lifting herself up on her feet for a few seconds.

“Oh, Harry, did Louis tell you I thought he was being a surrogate again?” She shakes her head, amused at what she thinks was her mistake. “I mean, for the first two births he took all of his vacation days together instead of asking for maternity leave, so it was odd when he requested it. But still, I just assumed the third pregnancy took a toll on him, since he never mentioned being bonded. When he came back with pictures of his tiny pup, proud look on his face, I was so shocked! But in a good way. Your family is beautiful.”

Harry’s brain gets stuck on Amy thinking they are mates for a few seconds. And then he absorbs everything else she has said. He forces out a laugh, realizing that Louis and him never really sat down to match up their stories, and accepts the compliment without correcting her about anything, “Thank you, Amy. Louis is very... reserved.”

She is a nice woman. A little older than Louis and him, maybe in her mid-thirties. Her husband and she are both Betas, and they brought along their three and six-year old.

Harry and Louis make a makeshift playroom for them in the corner of the living room, and Amy and Richard brought some toys for their boys to distract themselves. Things were going really well, Mel enamored at meeting little people closer to her age and imitating their actions as best as she can and with a shine in her eyes. It is about time she got to interact with other children, and Harry is glad it is a success so far.

“Sorry to ask, but like you said, Louis isn’t really an open book,” Amy starts, making Harry snort.

“To be fair, he has been working on it,” he says, knowing that Louis has truly been making an effort at work.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, I’ve discovered more about him in the past few months than the whole previous three years he worked with us,” she nods in agreement. “But, uh, how long have you two been together?”

Oh. That wasn’t an easy question. Over a year if you consider the time since Nick left and Louis stayed with Harry. Possibly a little less than a year, if you consider when they bought a house together. Six months if it was their first date. Four-ish months if you consider when they, uh, consummated their relationship.

Harry has no clue which date Louis has been referring to. He settles on a simpler ambiguous answer, hoping Amy doesn’t call him out on it. “Since Mel.”

“Oh, was she… unplanned?”

Harry laughs, “Not exactly, no. But getting together with Louis because of her definitely was. He won me over during the pregnancy.”

It is close enough to the truth that Harry figures he should be fine. Amy looks like she wants to ask more, but refrains from doing so.

“He is quite charming,” she states, turning to look at Louis, fond expression on her face, “And so sweet.”

Harry follows her line of sight and smiles at the image of Louis talking with Gemma, Robin’s daughter, as they hover near the children to keep an eye on them. “He really is.”

“Oh, you two are so young and in love. I miss that.”

Harry blushes at her remark. He feels quite lucky to be living through his relationship with Louis, and he is very much in love, so he won’t be bashful about it.

“How long have you and Richard been together?” He changes the topic of conversation away from himself.

“Oh, almost ten years now. We wanted to have the center consolidated before trying for pups.”

“Well, it seems like it was the right choice. It is doing very well from what Louis tells me, and your boys are wonderful,” he points to them, “I am amazed at how patient they are being with Mel, letting her watch and play along.”

“Thank you, we really try. It helps that they have two younger cousins, so they get practice in what they can or can’t do around babies.”

Harry thinks that over. It makes sense, and serves to highlight how important the interactions with other pups are for the boys’ development. Louis and he will have to start talking about a play group for Mel to participate in while she’s too young for school. It can’t be good for her only interactions being with her parents.

He opens his mouth to ask more about the subject, maybe suggest some future play dates between the kids, but Connor approaches them. He asks where the toilet is, so Harry excuses himself from his conversation with Amy to lead the young Omega there.

He shows him to the bathroom downstairs, but Connor hovers by the door instead of going in straight away.

“Harry,” Connor starts before Harry can leave him, sounding serious and a bit anxious. Harry turns to face him again and gives him his undivided attention. Connor clears his throat, “I just want you to know that I’m queer too. I mean, I don’t know if you don’t talk much about Louis because you’re afraid of judgement, but you don’t have to worry about that with me.”

Harry is completely taken aback by the admission. But quickly, his surprise turns into happiness. It is reassuring to meet someone on the same boat as Louis and him. Harry is even more glad now that he invited Connor to come.

“Oh, Connor. That’s —,” he pauses, a little at loss of words. “Thank you for telling me. But I don’t talk much about Louis because it’s kind of new, still.”

“Really? Aren’t you two bonded?”

That’s the second time today people thought that, huh. Harry will need time to process that.

“No, no,” he denies, but realizes how harsh it sounds, so he tries to soften it, “Not yet.”

“Well, soon probably, then,” Connor smiles at him, both fond and reassuring, “You two are obviously perfect for each other.”

“Maybe,” Harry replies cheekily, not knowing what else to say.

Connor seems to be satisfied with their interaction, because he reaches for the bathroom door and tells Harry he will see him back in the living room.

When the door closes, Harry is left alone in the hallway and takes a minute to breathe.

Everyone’s perception of his and Louis’ relationship makes sense. They both are practically bonded, already. They live together, they have a family together, they share a bed every single night, they argue over whose turn it is to vacuum the living room and they love each other. Of course people would assume, when Harry and Louis themselves don’t make an effort to correct things. It would be pointless, anyway. They could bond at any time now.

Actually, Harry can’t think of a single reason why they shouldn’t. 

So what are they waiting for?

Harry tries to get his thoughts under control. The last thing he needs is to spiral with a house full of people. It is not like anything will be decided right now. He can talk to Louis later, ask him how he feels about bonding and how he sees their relationship going forward.

He takes a few calming breaths before pushing himself off the wall and heading back to the living room, being guided by the timbre of Louis’ voice talking about something.

The thoughts don’t leave for the rest of the evening, but Harry remains reasonably composed, he thinks.

By the time everyone is gone, Harry is exhausted, physically and emotionally. His social battery is dead.

Thankfully, Mel and Louis seem to be on the same page as him. The little pup is passed out on the couch, soft breaths coming out of her open mouth. Louis is lethargically gathering dirty dishes.

Harry takes pity on them both. He takes Mel as quietly as he can, not wanting to risk her awakening now, then grabs Louis by the hand. “C’mon, love, we can clean up after everyone naps for a couple of hours.”

“I think if I lie down now, I could sleep through the night,” Louis protests, but it really doesn’t have any strength to it, what with the yawn that follows.

Harry rolls his eyes at his stubborn mate. Yes, his mate. He has come to terms with that by now. Or he is too tired to fight it.

“We can clean up tomorrow if a miracle happens and Mel lets us sleep through.”

Louis sighs, letting Harry know he has won the fight. He drops the rest of the items he grabbed in the sink but then takes Harry’s offered hand and allows himself to be dragged upstairs.

Harry puts Mel down gently on her crib and then easily climbs in bed with Louis, letting him fit himself against Harry’s back.

It doesn’t take long before they are both asleep.

Mel lets them sleep straight until 5am. Harry counts it as a win.

Their coworkers thinking that they are bonded doesn’t leave his mind for a while. Louis has noticed that something has changed, (because of course he did), but Harry wanted to process things on his own first. He hasn’t shared his worries with his boyfriend.

The fear of rushing into their relationship comes back. He knows it is unnecessary, given that they happily live together and have a daughter already, but, somehow, each extra step they take forward feels overwhelming.

Besides, Harry has been wrong once before. How does he know his instincts aren’t wrong again? How does he know Louis’ instincts aren’t wrong? Nick’s were wrong in thinking Harry was a good mate until he wasn’t what Nick needed anymore.

His worries do subside sometimes. Mostly when Louis is carefully talking to Mel around the house and sends Harry a wink or a kiss over her tiny body, or when Harry is cooking breakfast for Louis in the mornings and feels warm about being able to provide for someone who makes him so happy. The domesticity of it all makes him feel whole, and worrying about their bond status feels almost silly.

It is a tug of war in his head day and night. Harry is exhausted. He wishes his life was a clearer black and white.

Louis stops letting it slide on the tenth day.

Harry is seated at their dining table, Mel on his lap playing with, more than eating, her food. Louis settles down across from him with a serious look on his face.

“Harry, what’s going on with you lately?”

“What do you mean?” Harry asks dumbly, almost cringing at himself for playing it like that. He knows he should be honest with Louis. It is a fundamental basis of their relationship. But it is hard to open up now.

Louis’ face drops, annoyance clear on it. “Don’t do that. You know what I’m talking about.”

Harry lets out a long sigh. He plays with Mel’s soft brown hair for a little bit, trying to think how to best word things so he doesn’t put Louis in a difficult situation. 

“On Mel’s birthday, Amy and Connor both told me, separately, that they thought we were mates. Legally.”

He had told Louis about Connor coming out to him, but left out the part about his shock discovering Harry and Louis didn’t have a stable and official bond between them.

Louis' frown deepens. “So? Does that bother you?”

“I guess?”

“What the fuck, Harry?” Louis’ voice doesn’t raise, but uncontrolled angry pheromones fill up the room. Mel whines, making it halt immediately. Louis looks at her wide eyed, realizing what just happened.

They both avoid using their scents to let feelings be known, mainly around the pup. It can be a lot to handle and feel oppressive to her young senses. Louis is better than Harry at controlling it, so it is almost scary that he forgot to hold it back this time.

“I’ll put her in the playpen,” Harry stands up with Mel in his arms. Thankfully, she goes without a fuss and is immediately distracted by her blocks.

When Harry gets back, Louis is pacing around the kitchen anxiously. Harry clears his throat to get his attention.

“Why don’t you want to bond?” 

Louis starts speaking as soon as he sees Harry by himself. “I can’t believe someone accidentally thinking we were mated is what made you pull away from me for the past ten days. We live together, we sleep together, we have a daughter together. Of course people will assume things. It shouldn’t matter.”

Harry watches Louis rant in surprise, not used to seeing Louis this distressed with Harry. It is unsettling, and he wants to reach out to calm the Omega down. He holds back from it, though.

“Obviously it matters, Louis,” he starts softly, trying to keep things quiet and civil. “I don’t want to be taking this for granted. I don’t want to act bonded, assume you are my mate, when it isn’t a decision we consciously made together. I want our relationship to have some sort of normal development.”

Louis looks like he will reply but Harry isn’t done. Now that he has started, he needs to let everything that has been eating at him for the past ten days out.

“We didn’t have a choice with Mel, we just kept living together, like it was decided by Nick, with a child that, once again, was decided by Nick. I want to have a choice. I want you to have a choice. I don’t want us to be mates because we are stuck in a situation and it’s easier to just roll with it. I want our dating to become courting and, eventually, bonding. At our pace, because we want to.”

He finally looks up, finding Louis watching him with red rimmed eyes. He realizes there are tears streaming down his face too, so he takes a shaky breath and wipes at them. He continues, looking right at Louis this time. 

“I love you so much. I don’t want you to wake up next to me one day and realize the mistake you made by accepting a life as my mate by accident, because everyone assumed it and you went along with their assumptions.”

“Oh, Haz,” Louis whispers, tone dripping with sympathy. Before Harry can process it, he has an armful of Omega. Louis raises himself on his tip toes, arms circling around Harry’s neck and pulling him down on a hug. They adjust themselves until Harry is bent down, arms around Louis’ middle and face shoved against his neck.

Harry breathes in deeply Louis’ calming and neutral scents as Louis brings a hand up to massage his head comfortingly.

“You’re right, it does matter,” Louis tells him quietly. He brings a hand to cup Harry’s face and pushes him away from his neck so they are staring right at each other. “I can’t give you proper courting, but we can talk and plan for our bonding, choose what works best for us, alright? I love you. I’m in this for the long haul.”

Harry nods as well as he can with Louis holding his face, a weight being lifted off his shoulders.

He knows they wouldn’t be able to do traditional courting, as it consists of becoming familiar with each other’s scent and personal space, and then slowly claiming one another by mixing their scents together and exchanging important things in their lives. They were well beyond that. But an essential part of the process was that during it, the couple would discuss their bonding and what they wanted for their shared future. Harry wanted that, specifically, for him and Louis.

They have to align their wishes and hopes. They need to be completely sure of the commitment they are making to each other, with all variables on the table.

Louis lets him go, but keeps his fingers resting against Harry’s jaw softly. “I promise you I’m not jumping head first into this without thinking. It’s been almost a year and a half. I want to be here, okay? I know it’s hard for you to trust what I’m saying, with everything you’ve been through, but I will tell you if things ever go wrong between us. And I expect you to let me know if you aren’t happy too. We will make it, with communication and honesty.”

Harry hiccups a little bit, and looks away. It is an intense conversation.

He knows he can trust Louis; he can feel it in his bones. His wolf is certain about Louis’ in a way he wasn’t even at the moment of strongest connection with Nick.

And besides, Louis is not Nick. He promised he will let Harry know if he is unhappy or unsatisfied with him, so he can stop overthinking his actions and their relationship. He has to believe that Louis is being truthful for them to work. He refuses to let his insecurities because of a shitty Alpha come in the way of a healthy long life alongside Louis.

He nods once again, and looks back at Louis in determination. 

“Communication and honesty.”

“There you go,” Louis smiles at him. “I promise.”

“I promise too.”

Louis steps forward and pecks Harry’s lip, “let’s go check on our pup, she’s been awfully quiet.”

Harry snorts, knowing too well that a quiet Mel usually means trouble. One time they found her amongst their pile of clean laundry, everything unfolded and slightly wet with dribble. Another time, she managed to fit herself in a kitchen cupboard and had thrown a bunch of Tupperware and pots out.

“She is inside the playpen, so hopefully nothing too wild,” he reaches for Louis’ hand and they cross their way into the living room.

The scene they find causes them both to fall into a fit of giggles. Mel has managed to get every single one of her toys outside the playpen. It must’ve been hard work, because she has passed out inside. Harry knows for a fact she can’t stand up for long enough to just throw them over the edge easily, so he wonders if she spent the entirety of their conversation tossing one block at a time as she held herself up for a few seconds.

“I guess she didn’t want to play with blocks today,” Louis says between chuckles.

“It was alternative playing,” Harry jokes as he drops down and starts collecting them, so Louis grabs their box and holds it out for him.

Once they are done, Louis takes Mel and they make their way upstairs, “This nap at the wrong time will mess up her sleep schedule today.”

Harry hums in agreement, not too bothered by it. He and Louis could use the peace and quiet until dinner. Now that Harry thinks about it, he realizes that his pulling away and staying too much inside his own head has really put a damper in their sex life.

They could really use the peace and quiet.

He waits for Louis to put Mel down by the doorway and hugs him from behind as soon as he comes out, kissing behind his ear gently, “We could make good use of her nap.”

Louis laughs breathlessly as Harry shuffles them towards their bedroom, tilting his head to the side to give him access to his neck. Harry wastes no time kissing and licking at the exposed skin.

It is nice how Harry doesn’t feel exactly desperate, but Louis’ scent gets thicker and his body instantly starts thrumming to match. 

In sync.

Louis turns around, still pressed against him, when they reach the foot of the bed, arms resting on Harry’s shoulders, hands going to grasp his curls. He slots a thigh between Harry’s legs before pushing himself up to whisper against Harry’s lips, “I think you should ride me.”

Harry’s cock twitches in interest where it was already starting to fill up. By Louis’ smirk, he could tell. He is so smug about how easy Harry is for him, and Harry would hate it if it wasn’t so incredibly hot.

He nods absently, hugging Louis even closer so their whole bodies are touching, “Yeah, Lou, please.”

“Of course, baby,” Louis tells him, and then fits their lips together.


	10. Chapter 10

They spent weeks talking about bonding and everything else it entailed.

Harry opened up about how he always wanted a big family, but had ultimately given up on it since finding out about his infertility. Louis told him he wouldn’t mind another pup or two somewhere down the road, and he definitely was up for carrying them. It was a big shift in how Harry perceived himself, as a whole, but at the same time he realised it was an okay transition with Louis by his side. Louis himself didn’t exactly fit himself in an Omega Mom box, so he and Harry complimented each other nicely.

It was a learning process, that the world wasn’t as black and white as he once thought it to be, and he is almost ashamed for ever thinking like that. It only held him back from figuring himself out sooner.

Harry did some research, with Louis giving extra practical information on what he found. Same secondary gender bonds have been legal for a few years now in their pack, and recently the adoption of one another’s children was also legalized. So, they talked about Louis officially adopting Mel and figured out a dynamic around that for the future. It wasn’t an easy process, with a lot of prejudice to face still, but they’d be able to do it eventually. Louis said their pack wasn’t even close to one of the worst ones he has heard of, even if they were still quite traditional.

Louis told him he wanted to try for college, business school, to help him get a better job in the future or consolidate his role within the rescue center, doing their books maybe. So they agreed that they would have more kids, but only in a few years, giving Louis the opportunity to go after what he dreamed of. In the meantime, they have their hands full with a little menace of a toddler.

When everything felt sorted between them, Harry’s heart settled, and they finally decided to bond.

Harry and Louis go down to get the papers from City Hall on a Friday, dropping Mel off at Anne’s right after and then driving east to a small town by the beach for the weekend.

The tradition is a simple but intimate affair. First, the couple spends a whole day together, enjoying each other’s company without any sexual tension, pampering one another. It is supposed to strengthen their intimacy and friendship. At night, when the moon is shining bright in the sky, they make promises about a lifetime of loyalty and companionship together. That’s when they sign the bonding papers. After that is done, the couple gets to explore each other intimately without restraint, letting their wolves claim one another and mingle their scents. The next day is spent being as close as possible until they have to leave, to soothe their bond and let it settle. Then, the last thing is the bureaucratic process of handing in the signed papers for their bonding to be legally recognized, merging their rights and officially becoming a sub-pack in the eyes of the law.

Besides that, Harry and Louis will also hand in a formal request for Louis to adopt Melanie on Monday morning. Hopefully, it won’t take long until they have their bonding certificate and Louis’ name put down as Mel’s legal guardian alongside Harry.

Harry wakes up on Saturday with a soft breeze blowing inside their room, the sun still timidly coming up. The smell of the sea is strong and calming, only contributing to the heaviness of Harry’s limbs where they are relaxed against Louis on their bed. The little cabin they have rented for the weekend is cozy, on top of a hill, in a group of a dozen or so. They sit overlooking the coast and seashore, with an expanse of fields before reaching the main historic city.

At first Harry and Louis were a bit skeptical, but everyone assured them they were safe, even if isolated. The other few couples and the one family in the cabins around theirs looked happily satisfied and unworried enough for them to let their guards down and just let go of any stress.

Harry stretches lazily and leaves the bed as quietly as he can. He wants to start his day with Louis with breakfast in bed. They’ve brought groceries for the weekend with them, so they wouldn’t need to go out. There is fresh fruit and all the ingredients he needs to make some pancakes. Harry puts the kettle on to make tea and starts cooking, hoping Louis won’t wake up in the next twenty minutes. The song that has been stuck on his head for days comes back, so Harry accepts defeat and hums along to _when you say you love me, know I love you more_ as it plays inside his brain.

He finishes quickly, arranging a few pancakes and fruit cut up in cubes on a plate and grabbing a big mug for the tea. When he gets back to their room, Louis is clearly awake but still lying down, cuddling Harry’s pillow to his chest. Harry smiles in contentment at the scene.

“Hey, you’ve been awake this whole time?” He asks as he climbs back on the bed, careful not to spill the tea or the plate of food he is carrying.

Louis sits up, holding out a hand to help, so Harry hands him the mug and quickly pecks his lips.

“Yeah,” Louis finally answers, “But I was too lazy to get up. Sorry. These smells delicious, Haz.”

Louis sags against the headboard. Harry sits with crossed legs by Louis’ thighs, so they can look at each other. “I’m glad you didn’t; I’d be very mad if you ruined this for me.”

“What?” Louis chuckles, “Breakfast in bed?”

Harry uses the fork he is holding to stab a piece of pineapple and offers it to Louis, who opens his mouth easily to accept the fruit.

“Obviously. First day of bonding is doing things for one another without sexual intent,” Harry reminds him, not sure if Louis forgot, or if he is asking just to tease.

Louis makes a funny face. Harry doesn’t know what it means, so he just takes a piece of pancakes to Louis’ lips. Louis chews it carefully, eyes not leaving Harry’s face. He kind of wants to squirm under the intensity of it, but he doesn’t.

Louis finally swallows, “So your plan is to service me? Feed me?”

“You don’t want it?” he asks, not understanding why Louis got hung up over that. Harry did the same to Nick. It is how things go, as far as he is aware.

“Oh, no, I do. I just didn’t see it coming, I guess.”

“How come?” Harry offers another bite to him but Louis shakes his head, clearly more intent in talking than eating right now.

“With us both being Omegas, I thought we would just end up cuddling most of the day, and the rest of the stuff we’d do together. You know, the cooking and bathing and whatever else.”

Harry nods in understanding. But he doesn’t want that. He wants to do things for Louis, and for Louis to do things back for him.

“I want to be responsible for our meals today, though,” he tells Louis honestly. There is no reason for them not to figure out their wants and needs openly. He knows he can’t keep bending backwards to do whatever other people want, at the cost of his personal satisfaction and happiness.

“That’s fine... I actually should’ve expected that. Tell me what else you want to do, and I’ll be responsible for the rest.” Louis gives him a lopsided smile, opening his mouth for Harry to give him more food. He does it gladly.

“I want to dress you for the ceremony tonight. And I want to make our bed for when we come back from it.”

“Alright. Can I dress you too?”

Oh. That sounds… incredible. Nick didn’t dress Harry when they bonded, as it is considered the Omega role. But having Louis to it to him is an amazing concept. Harry feels warm, knowing his mate wants to take care of him the same way he does.

“Yeah,” he accepts softly, overcome by emotion.

Louis squeezes his knee in comfort. “I’ll run our bath and get the bonfire at the beach going. We can just be together otherwise, right?”

“Right,” he agrees, happy with the outcome. He can tell the next two days will be just perfect, as they are starting out on the right foot. “Now let me feed you,” he gives his attention back to the plate and job at hand.

“Bossy.” Louis complains, but there is no heat to it. He opens his mouth for Harry, eyes shining as they watch each other.

Harry blushes softly but it doesn’t deter him. He really wants to do this.

Louis eats half of the plate, then insists Harry eat the rest. He does, turning around to rest his head against Louis' shoulder as he drinks his tea. It is quiet, the silence feeling right and comfortable, extending with them as they move to the living room to nap the rest of the morning away.

Later, Harry repeats the same process from earlier for their late lunch, but this time on the couch. Louis just goes along with it more easily, making little satisfied noises at the bites of food. After they are done, Louis goes out to check that everything is in order for tonight while Harry cleans up in the kitchen and starts getting things done for dinner. He doesn’t know when they will sit down to eat again, but he knows neither of them will want to spend time cooking the next day. So Harry makes tomato soup and makes some snacks for later.

He is still in the kitchen when Louis comes back, heading straight to the bathroom. Harry hears the water running and Louis moving about, but he isn’t too bothered by it, focused on finishing his task. It is only fifteen minutes later when footsteps approach him and arms circle around his stomach from behind.

“Almost done, baby?” Louis asks, kissing his shoulders gently.

“Yes, let me just put the food away and the dishes in the sink,” Harry tells him, grateful that they managed to get everything in sync.

Louis steps back and lets him, then takes him by the hands to lead them to the bathroom. They undress each other reverently, and Harry uses the opportunity to catalog Louis in a way he hasn’t before. They’ve seen each other naked without having sex plenty of times: being woken up early by Mel crying and not bothering to put on clothes; showering together in the mornings they had time to; watching TV together after sex. But it has never been purposeful in the way it is now. They are undressing to clean each other, to be able to see and touch each other completely free without it turning into something more.

Harry is almost taken aback by Louis’ beauty. He knew, from the moment he saw him, that Louis was beautiful. It would be impossible not to notice his infuriatingly perfect cheekbones and his sharp blue eyes. But his attraction goes beyond that in so many ways now, getting deeper the more he finds out about Louis. He loves the way Louis’ blue eyes turn lighter and brighter when he is happy, outlined by crinkles that make Harry want to kiss the corner of his eyes tenderly. He loves how Louis’ cheekbones were less prominent when his face got rounder during the last months of his pregnancy, looking utterly lovely and making the term _pregnancy glow_ gain a whole new meaning in Harry’s vocabulary.

Louis steps out of his pants, one hand on his hips, taking Harry’s attention to the spot. Louis is, ultimately, almost as lean as Harry. But there is a specific dip to his waist, accompanied by the widening of hips, that is just delicious. Harry’s hands itch to fit themselves around them and bring Louis closer to him. It is a great change from the underlying self-hatred Harry used to feel at Louis’ figure, marked by irrational jealousy. He understands that was unnecessary and hurtful. Louis is irresistible, and Harry enjoys spending his time appreciating, instead of envying, it.

Louis holds out a hand for Harry and helps him settle down in the bath, relaxing against the edge comfortably, enjoying the water that’s just on the side of too hot, exactly how he likes it. Louis sits on his haunches between Harry's spread legs, bending his knees to frame Louis’ body. He takes a loofah with a soft lavender scented soap and lifts one of Harry’s arms, starting to lather him up.

They don’t talk. Harry stays putty under Louis’ touch, letting him move his limbs as he needs to get him soaped up and then rinsed. It is slow; Louis clearly in no rush to finish it. Harry closes his eyes and rests his head back against the side of the bath, taking deep breaths to tame the desire building up inside him.

He feels overwhelmed. There is something incredibly intimate about washing your lover without any intent behind it besides taking care of them and making them clean. It is such a wholesome action, it makes Harry’s heart expand twice its size. He wonders if he will ever adore someone else like he adores Louis. It feels like he could never feel more intensively than he does now. His body couldn’t take it.

He needs to externalize it; it is too much to keep inside. The sentiments are about to overflow, and Harry rather talk than do something embarrassing like start crying.

“I love you so much,” he whispers from his place, opening his eyes to watch Louis’ reaction. It feels like both a confession and a statement of something as obvious as _the sky is blue_. He hopes Louis can hear the duality in his tone, understand the meaning behind it.

“Forever,” Louis whispers back, kissing Harry’s left knee, which is the closest spot to his mouth at that moment.

Harry chokes on the emotion stuck on his throat, relieved that Louis seems to get it, to feel exactly the same. It feels like a huge interaction between them, even if the exchange wasn’t even ten words long.

He pushes himself up and at Louis’ shoulder, to change their positions. He wants to repay Louis’ care for him. Louis understands him easily, mirroring Harry’s previous stance on the opposite end of the tub and handing Harry the loofah. They replay the scene, and by the time Harry is done, the water is lukewarm at best and they are both more than clean.

Louis encircles them both with very soft fluffy towels Harry doesn’t know where they came from, but is very grateful for. They both brush their teeth and shave side by side at the sink, then head to their room.

Louis has already laid out their outfits on the bed, so Harry reaches for his boxers immediately, dropping to his knees in front of Louis to dress him. They go through the motions in the same pace as they bathed, unhurriedly and calmly. White boxers, followed by cream colored linen pants and, finally, a dark blue polo that looks amazing on him, making Harry proud to be bonding with a man that, on top of all of his virtues, is so handsome.

When they are both ready, it is already dark so they walk hand in hand down to the beach, Louis leading him to a cozy spot by some rocks, where the waves don’t break as hard. There is a thick blanket laid down on the sand, four small wooden boxes sitting in the middle of it. The setup is a few meters away from the bonfire, and Louis sits him down on one side before lighting the logs. Harry watches as the fire catches, warmth radiating towards him immediately, filling the environment with bright energy and contrasting the chilly breeze coming from the sea.

Harry lays their documents and pen on the blanket near him, using the weight of one of the boxes to keep them from flying away. Louis comes back and sits on the other side, smiling in satisfaction. Harry gets a whiff of his pleased pheromones, realizing that for the first time in a long time, Louis is purposefully not holding them back around him. Harry does the same, wanting Louis to have physical proof of how content he is. The action makes Louis’ smile widen, and they stare at each other for a few seconds.

Louis eventually breaks their bubble, “Are you ready?”

“I am,” Harry nods with certainty, “Are you?”

“As ready as I’ve ever been,” Louis turns to face Harry, crossing his legs and reaching a hand out to Harry. Harry copies his pose so they are facing each other, only separated by the line up of boxes between them.

Louis opens the first one. There is dark blue ink in it. Louis dips his finger in it, drawing two lines from underneath Harry’s eyes until they reach his neck as he speaks, “Water, I ask you to wash away our fears and mistakes, giving us the opportunity to start a life together without the weight of the past dragging us down.”

He hands the box to Harry so he repeats his actions and words.

The second one has brown paint in it, and Louis leans over to gently draw a single line across Harry’s eyelids, “Earth, I ask you to help us consolidate the fertile soil we need to plant the seed of our relationship on.”

The third consists of white paint, “Air, I ask you to bring us new winds on every cycle, so we are guided towards growth and better paths,” Louis says as his fingers work from the tip of Harry’s nose until it reaches his hairline, then makes two dots on each side of it on his forehead.

The last one is bright orange. Louis draws two lines following the blue one down Harry’s face, but it turns to follow Harry’s jawline instead of dipping down his neck. “Fire, I ask you to bless us with warmth even during the coldest winters, and that you help us keep our love alight until death do us part.”

By the time Harry finishes him, they are both grinning like idiots, the mix of colors on their faces adding to the excitement of it all. Louis takes Harry’s hands between his, looking him in the eyes for his vows.

“With the moon as my witness, I promise myself to you, Harry. Body and soul. My wolf sees yours as its destined mate. I will accept my nature and follow my instincts. I will respect Fate’s wishes for us. I promise loyalty, patience and companionship. I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of my life.” 

Louis pauses when Harry can’t keep his tears from falling down his face silently anymore, a small sob making its way out of his mouth. He is overwhelmed by the tide of emotions Louis is making him feel. He knows he was never loved as Louis loves him, and it is a tough realization. Louis squeezes his hands in comfort, giving him a reassuring smile, before continuing. 

“I will take care of you and stand by you, no matter what the future holds. I love you with all of my heart, and I’m so grateful my love for you is reciprocated. It is the most brilliant thing I’ve ever felt, and I know I’ll never experience anything as exhilarating for the rest of my days. Thank you for accepting to be my mate, and letting me have the privilege of growing old besides you.”

Louis bends down to sign the bonding certificates, then turns it so it faces Harry. Harry looks at it, Louis’ handwriting legally sealing their bond, the last step before letting their wolf instincts take over.

Harry grabs Louis’ hands again, anxious but excited to end their ceremony. “With the moon as my witness, I promise myself to you, Louis. Body and soul. My wolf sees yours as its destined mate. I will accept my nature and follow my instincts. I will respect Fate’s wishes for us. I’m sorry, Fate, for doubting you in the past,” Harry adds, speaking to the wind, hoping it will take his message, before continuing to address Louis. 

“I love you, Lou, so much. And that love is amazing, because it doesn’t contradict with my wants or needs, it complements and satisfies them. It makes me grounded and free at the same time. It makes me feel safe, and heard, and invincible. It makes me want to give myself wholly to you, because I know you will do the same to me. You did the same to me. I promise to try to make you as happy as you make me. I promise to be loyal, to take care of you and to stand by your side for the rest of our lives. I will treat you with respect and with love, never taking you for granted.”

He takes the pen with a trembling hand, excitement rushing through his veins. He takes a deep breath to try and calm down, so his signature doesn’t come out shaky. Harry looks at Louis one more time, then signs his name.

As soon as he drops the pen back onto the blanket, Louis is taking his face between his hands and bringing their lips together.

Something settles deep inside Harry. 

It might have been the hard way, but he finally found his home. 


	11. Louis' POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not exactly an epilogue, most scenes overlap the time of the original story. The goal is to bring a bit of understanding of things from Louis' POV and give closure to some things left a bit opened until now. 
> 
> Warnings: post-heat sex, because I disappointed myself not writing their first time before.

Louis wakes up disoriented. There is a heavy pressure on his chest that is borderline painful and he doesn’t know what it is. He tries turning on his side to ease it, but when his breast touches the mattress, it is tender. He hisses, returning to his position on his back and sitting up against the headboard. He looks down and sees two wet spots on his shirt. Bringing a hand up to cup himself, he realizes he is full. That has never happened before.

Puzzled over his predicament, he reaches out for his phone on the nightstand. 

11:03 

Oh, wow. He slept nine hours straight. He can’t believe Harry managed to deliver on his promise to let Louis sleep in today. 

Now that he notices it, ignoring the chest ache, Louis feels like a whole new person, rested in a way he hasn’t been since Melanie was born. The first month of being a parent was exhausting. He never thought he would crave a full eight hours of sleep so badly in his life, but he did. 

He knows that Harry has been an angel on Earth, taking it upon himself to try to get almost everything done besides feeding Mel, no complaints. But, still, Louis felt drained. He completely underestimated how hard life with a newborn baby could be. After his first two pregnancies, in a couple of weeks his body was mostly functional again. His milk dried up before it even started properly producing, his body completely in tune with the fact he didn’t keep the pups, and his energy came back after only a few days of resting from the labour. 

This time around, however, his body is wired to keep up with another human being’s every movement. A helpless, tiny human being who sleeps in naps and cries at every chance she gets, making so that Louis himself can only sleep a few short hours at a time too.

Though, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Melanie has been taking progressively longer naps, even if it is hard to notice sometimes. She is used to her surroundings enough that it doesn’t unsettle her anymore, and she has been more willing to stay in Harry’s sole presence, now that she has accepted his scent as much as Louis’. 

All those factors probably helped today, but doesn’t make the deed any less amazing. Louis is sure Harry performed some type of black magic on Melanie to be able to give him so much time to sleep. He will be eternally grateful. 

Another wave of discomfort hits him and he remembers why he woke up in the first place. Louis climbs out of the bed quietly, listening to the sounds in the house to find Harry and Mel. He encounters a very fussy pup hanging off an exasperated Harry, who is trying to reassure her that Louis will be up soon and she can wait a little longer to eat again. 

Louis snorts, making Harry jump and turns towards him, clearly not having noticed the extra company.

“Sorry,” Louis apologizes, watching the pair in amusement. Mel immediately starts reaching out to him, so he sits down for Harry to hand her over. 

He sighs in relief when she doesn’t waste any time latching onto him to feed. 

“Did she wake you up?” Harry asks quietly, sitting down next to him on the couch. 

“No, my chest was aching pretty bad,” he nods down at the pup, “Too full.” 

“Oh. Right. Forgot to think of that.” 

Louis nods his head. He wasn’t expecting it, either. He didn’t realize how much he produced, to feed Mel every few hours. 

“Thank you for taking her this morning.” 

“Of course, Lou,” Harry kisses his arm, where he can reach. “It was easier than I expected. She took to the bottle really well. She only started fussing a few minutes ago.” 

Louis smiles down at Mel, glad to hear it. During their first week as parents, Louis was genuinely scared Mel wouldn’t take to Harry. She had a clear preference towards Louis and his scent. Harry had tried to play it off, because logically it was reasonable that she would connect with Louis first, but Louis could see he was scared of being rejected by the pup. Thankfully, she warmed up to him in due time. Louis can already see her getting more attached to Harry than to him in the near future. 

When he notices her eyes closing while she feeds, he eases her off one nipple and changes to the other before she falls asleep, so he can take some of the pressure off both sides. 

“Lou?” Harry breaks through Louis’ reverie watching their daughter. 

Louis looks up to show he is listening. 

“I remembered this morning that my heat is due at the end of the week.” 

“Oh, shit. I completely forgot about that.” With the whirlwind of things happening this month, the last thing on Louis’ mind was Harry’s heat. 

“Me too.” Harry chuckles, then rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands, like he usually does when he is stressed. 

“Don’t worry about it, Haz,” Louis tries soothing him, “I can handle Mel on my own for three days. We can make some meals beforehand and prepare.” 

Harry nods alongs. “I think my mom will be able to help you out, too.” 

“What are you on about? Your mom doesn’t even know Nick left.” 

“Yeah, well, I invited her for lunch today. I will tell her everything. I’m really sorry I didn’t before, I was in denial and being a coward.” 

That takes Louis aback. For as frustrated he was with Harry before, he never thought he was a coward. He faced every single thing life threw at him head on, never once giving up on his life. It was only natural he would be skeptical and reluctant after being hurt so deeply. And sure, Louis hated that Harry lied to his mom about Nick leaving or about his relationship with Louis, but he quickly realized he shouldn’t be angry at Harry. He can’t imagine how hard it must be to deal with his mate abandoning him and their unborn child. Who is he to judge how Harry reacted to it all? 

“You aren’t a coward, Harry. You handled the situation the only way you could at the time,” Louis tells him firmly. “But I’m glad you’re talking to your mom.” 

He really is. It is a privilege that Harry has his mom to give him support through life, and the last thing he wants is for Harry to waste that. He will encourage Harry to keep a close and honest connection with Anne as much as he can. 

He takes a sleeping Mel upstairs with him so he can change into new clothes as Harry finishes lunch. He can hear Anne arriving not too long after, and then Harry comes up to take Mel, asking Louis to wait a bit before coming out. 

It takes almost an hour for Harry, with red rimmed and wet eyes, to knock on the door and ask Louis to join them downstairs. 

“That bad?” He whispers, running a comforting hand up and down Harry’s back. 

“No, not at all. It was just...a lot. She really wants to meet you, though.” 

Louis swallows down his anxiousness at that. His mind immediately takes him to the utter rejection he received from his own pack just for being himself. He doesn’t have a good track record with family, and meeting his not-yet mate’s mom is definitely nerve wracking, even if he knows she is a good person. 

They get to the living room, where Anne is sitting at the armchair, clearly basking in the presence of her granddaughter. She greets Louis like he is a long-lost son, which is overwhelming in the best way possible, and she doesn’t even blink before agreeing to help them out during Harry’s heat. 

When Anne not so subtly asks Harry to step out of the room, with the excuse of him making tea for them, Louis’ anxiety spikes up once again. He did not wake up prepared to have a serious talk with a parent today, but here he is. Harry squeezes his thigh in reassurance before leaving for the kitchen and Louis tries concentrating on it instead on the unease of a new situation. 

“You look like a deer caught in headlights, Louis,” Anne calls him out, her tone light. 

“Sorry. I’m not – I just,” he fumbles, trying to find the right words. “I’m not used to moms anymore.” 

She hums sympathetically. “That’s alright. I just want to make sure that you aren’t planning to abandon my son anytime soon, like his good-for-nothing Alpha did.” 

“Oh, no, ma’am,” Louis shakes his head vehemently. He doesn’t know if he did anything to make it seem like he plans on leaving Harry, but he isn’t. He knows Harry is his mate, and that’s a lifetime deal. “I love our family. I will stay as long as Harry wants me here.” 

She watches him with attentive eyes. He hates the scrutiny, there is nothing Louis can do to hide from it. 

“Good,” Anne says eventually. “I wish I knew about your arrangement sooner, though. And about the whole mess with Nick.” 

“I’m sorry about that. I did try to convince Harry to tell you but it led to an ugly fight that I wish never happened,” he grimaces at the memory of him hurting Harry with his explosion when Harry was talking to Anne on the phone. 

Surprisingly, Anne laughs at that. “Harry can be stubborn and proud. I’m glad he isn’t just deferring to you, even if you were right.” 

“Me too.” 

Anne smiles brightly at that. They stir in silence for a few seconds before she says anything else, “How are you doing? The first couple of weeks are usually really tough.” 

“They were! So tough,” Louis dramatically groans. “But it was good, too. Mel is worth the lack of sleep.” 

“Yeah, she is so sweet. Aren’t you?” Anne agrees with him, tickling Mel softly to get some giggles out of the pup, who is enamoured with her grandmother. It is such a sweet scene. “You two are doing a good job. Melanie is clearly happy.” 

Pride swells up in Louis' chest, and he can’t hold back the feelings coming through his scent. 

“Thank you,” he says just as Harry walks back in and hands them each a cup. 

Louis leans on Harry when he sits down next to him on the couch, and from then on conversation flows easily. He is overcome by the sense of security and happiness, sitting down together as a family, as small as it is.

They will be just fine.

\-----

Louis is slowly putting things back into their place around the house, wanting to start the week in a positive way with a clear and organized house. It is taking him three times as long as it would usually, but he has a six month old Mel on his arms. He is doing the best that he can. 

He passes Harry on the way from the kitchen and sends him a kiss over Mel’s body. Harry smiles brightly in return, a small wave of pheromones that seem both pleased and longing coming off him towards Louis.

Harry’s scent so often gives away how he’s feeling; he’s never been good at concealing things. He has been getting better at it, progressively, trying to copy Louis. But it is clear that either he never learned how to or unlearned through his relationship with Nick. Louis would bet on the second option. Nick is the type of traditionalist asshole to demand that his Omega shouldn’t hide anything from him. 

The longer Louis knows Harry, the more he struggles to understand how Harry got into that relationship. It was clearly toxic. 

Louis himself has always been reasonably laid back. He avoids fighting or ludicrous altercations that can lead to hurting everyone involved. He firmly believes there are better, more mature ways to deal with issues. And that became even more important now that he knows that’s not how things were in Harry’s previous bonding. The first and only time Louis got angry at Harry, when he forgot to pay their water bill, it all became clear. 

Paying a penalty, when they could afford the bill in the first place, was a waste of money and a total irresponsibility when they had a baby in the house. They couldn’t have their water cut off for no reason other than Harry’s weak memory. It frustrated Louis to no end when he got the notification of the delayed payment, so he didn’t even think about getting his pheromones in order before storming towards Harry’s room to talk to him. It was horrid. Harry had immediately frozen in fear upon seeing an angry Louis, accepting the blame without question and shakingly telling Louis he promised it wouldn’t happen again. The self-hatred in the air made Louis choke. His mind raced trying to piece together what made Harry scared of him, trying to take it away. He controlled his scent, relaxed his body language and slowly made his way towards Harry to reassure him that everything was alright, that he was safe. 

Up until then, Louis only figured Harry’s lack of control over his scent was a form of taking away his privacy and freedom. He didn’t realize that Nick could’ve been using his own Alpha pheromones to communicate in an oppressive way, scaring Harry’s wolf instincts into obedience. With his heart aching, Louis coaxed Harry back into a calm bubble and told him he would be responsible for their bills from now on, that Harry didn’t need to worry about their due dates. It was the best he could do at the moment. 

After that, Louis started paying closer attention to smaller things he used to shrug off, like how Harry didn’t really ask for more than he was given even when he obviously wasn’t satisfied, or how he constantly tried to guess Louis’ needs for some reason. He started to actively try to deconstruct them, pushing Harry to be clearer about his own needs and reassuring him that it wasn't his job to ensure Louis' contentment at all times.

With time, Harry is slowly getting more relaxed, worrying less about things he needn’t. It is a good change. Louis hopes he only gets better as their relationship develops. 

Which is… another issue. Louis has been waiting for Harry to do something, anything at all. 

At first, when Louis decided, without giving it much rational thought, that he would stay with Harry through his pregnancy, he was sure he was being stupid. Harry was very much attracted to Alphas, had shown no indication of ever thinking about a non-traditional relationship, and his attachment to Louis could have been completely situational. Of course an Omega would form a bond with the person carrying their child for them. Add to that being literally abandoned by the person he thought was his soulmate, and Harry had every reason to stick with Louis. 

Besides, they had had a really rough start. Louis felt something was off when he first met Harry and Nick, but the Alpha’s reassurance that everything was discussed with Harry beforehand and some gentle mannerisms had fooled Louis. He spent his heat with Nick, an experience he is glad not to repeat ever again, and after that the interactions with the couple were too awkward for anything else to stand out to Louis. Only when Harry warmed up to him and their friendship started to blossom did Louis realize how much Nick neglected Harry. 

It was wrong on so many levels, and Harry just accepted it as a fact on how relationships are supposed to work — like he never had a better one. It made Louis feel an awful mixture of sadness and anger, but he swallowed it all down. It wasn’t his place to intervene, and he was already pregnant with their pup. His hands were tied on many fronts. 

The change in that perspective had happened subtly over time. At some point Louis can’t really pinpoint, his Omega and Harry’s connected. Slowly, Louis stopped seeing his pregnancy as a job and started getting attached to the pup. He started getting protective over Harry, temper getting the best of him when seeing Nick mistreat such a wonderful human being. It killed him that Harry was truly optimistic in their situation, thinking his relationship with Nick would eventually get better, when it actually only became worse as the months went by. 

Louis wasn’t even a little bit surprised when Nick had walked out the door. His heart hurt over the utter despair Harry went through, instincts screaming at him to stay and take care. So he did, without second guessing himself or overthinking it.

What eventually made Louis stop feeling like an idiot with a crush on someone unattainable was Harry’s heat. The Omega came to the surface of Harry’s conscience beautifully pliant and calling for Louis with every fiber of its being. It was torture, but it also made him purr in satisfaction that his mate identified him back. Something also changed in Harry himself during those days. He started bringing up questions about sexuality, gender presentation and non-traditional relationship dynamics. Louis was elated, answering everything in the most unbiased way he managed to and trying to show Harry his possibilities. It felt like a beginning for them, in some ways. 

When Louis was in his last month of pregnancy, he tried pushing Harry a bit harder, hoping that their daughter could be born in a place of love instead of one of sorrow. It didn’t end _exactly_ how he wanted to, but at least Louis had the chance to explicitly tell Harry he wanted a relationship with him. It felt good that Harry reciprocated, even if they wouldn’t, or couldn’t, act on it at the moment. 

_Soon_ , Harry said, making Louis feel lighter with relief. 

Louis always knew to follow his instincts, but he had never been more grateful for them than for making him stay with Harry. The more time went by, their friendship developed and Louis started seeing pieces of Harry below the walls of misery and guilt surrounding him. It only became clearer that this was where he was supposed to be, that Harry was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. 

Things settled more into place after Melanie’s birth, when Harry opened up to his mum about everything and they moved into a new home together. It felt a lot like building a life as a couple, a commitment to their future bond. 

Right now, ten months after Nick left, it is painfully obvious that Harry’s and Louis’ attraction is mutual and they will keep on building a life together. Louis is trying to be respectful, to give Harry time to figure out things on his own, but he is also tired of getting whiffs of Harry’s unguarded scent giving away his longing for Louis. It is completely unnecessary, because Louis is already on board with everything. 

Mel finally falls asleep on his shoulder, so Louis takes her to her nursery quietly. He goes back down to see what Harry is up to and finds him at the table, writing. He sees the kettle just boiled, which is probably something Harry did specifically for him. He smiles and makes himself some tea and sits down to join Harry. 

He looks over at the piece of paper and reads _carrots_ and _potatoes_ upside down, which means Harry is doing the grocery list for his trip to the market tomorrow after work. 

Louis’ maternity leave ends this week, and Harry has been away from work way too long. They both decided to go back together, alternating their days out of the house. Tomorrow, Harry starts at the flower shop. On Tuesday, Louis is back at the animal rescue center. 

He is both excited and anxious over going back to work. Getting some sort of social life back sounds like a dream, but staying hours on end away from Melanie seems truly awful. But, at the end of the day, there is no point in dwelling on it too much. He has to go back to work, and that’s it. They can’t just use up all the money Nick left for Harry and Mel without a life plan. Besides, Louis likes his job, he has plans for his life, so he figures the cold weight in his stomach will lessen after the first day. 

He watches as Harry bites at the pen, too concentrated in his task. Louis has to hold back from laughing and reaching out to smooth the crease between his eyebrows. He is head over heels for Harry. 

They shouldn’t have to keep wasting all this time when they could be together. It has been long enough that Louis knows Harry is on the same page as him, so he won’t be asking too much. And if he is, he has to trust that Harry will say something. They have been working on being honest with one another.

It is still scary, though. Harry does seem to have a tendency for living in denial of things he doesn’t know how to process and handle well. The amount of time it took him to understand Nick left is proof of that. 

With a long breath, Louis puts down his mug and starts speaking tentatively. “Harry, you know how we bought a house together five months ago?”

“Yeah?” Harry replies, still not giving him proper attention. 

Louis keeps going, “And you know how we have a daughter together?”

Harry finally looks up, a confused expression on his face. “Yeah, Lou.”

“And you know I love you very much, right?” Louis asks at once, before he can convince himself not to. 

“I love you too,” Harry tells him easily. 

Louis stares at him for a second, realizing his mistake. That is not what he meant. 

“No, Harry. _I love you_ ,” he corrects.

Harry looks caught off guard for a second, but eventually a smile breaks on his face. “Me too, Louis.”

Louis wants to cry out in relief. Even though he was fairly sure about how Harry felt, it is different to hear it coming from the other Omega. The words sounded completely natural and truthful, so he can relax and finally ask what he wanted to from the beginning.

“Do you want to go out on a date with me on Friday?”

“What about Mel?” Harry asks, seeming genuinely worried about it. 

Louis laughs, not believing that is the first thing Harry thought of. They can find a babysitter, or bring Mel alone. The pup isn’t necessarily making them stuck at home. “Is that the only thing stopping us from going on a date? Because, darling, we can find a babysitter for one night.”

Harry nods along, like he hadn’t thought of that before, “Okay.” 

“Okay?” That was too easy, considering Harry’s first reaction was to find an excuse for why they couldn’t go on a date. 

Harry eyes Louis weirdly. “Yes. What did you want me to say? Do you want me to turn you down?”

Louis lets out a long breath, surrendering to Harry’s odd reaction and accepting that the other man actually wants to go out on a date with him. 

“Well, yeah,” he confesses, “that’s what I was expecting, actually.”

Harry snorts, clearly amused by Louis’ skepticism. “Then why did you ask me out?”

Because he had to try. He hoped Harry was ready for that next step. Their wolves were. “I took a leap of faith.”

Harry smiles softly at him, eyes turning warm. He reaches out for Louis’ hand and kisses it, then intertwines their fingers together on top of the table. 

“I’m glad that you did.”

Louis reciprocates the smile, squeezing Harry’s hands. He is glad too. 

\-----

When Harry’s first heat since they started dating came, they still hadn’t gotten past making out. So when Harry clung to Louis, begging him to stay, he had to push Harry away with a firm no. It was hard to ignore the pleadings from his sweet mate when he clearly wanted and needed Louis, but he had to. They didn’t talk about it beforehand, and he wouldn’t have their first time with Harry lost in his heat haze if Louis had any say about it. Which he did. 

They had both already organized time off work, so Louis stayed with Mel, checking up on Harry with food every so often. Anne came on the second day, for Louis to be able to shower for longer than a minute without worrying, and took Mel for a stroll to allow Louis to check on Harry properly. 

On the fourth day, when Louis woke up and Harry’s heat had broken but he was still passed out, Anne came back to take Melanie, saying she would bring the pup back at night after a day with grandma, because Harry would be tired and in need of some pampering. Louis didn’t argue, too tired from constantly being wired up in worry for the past three days. As soon as Anne drove off with Mel, he fell down onto the couch to nap until Harry came back to life. 

He is woken up a while later by the sound of a door opening upstairs. He follows the sound and finds Harry’s bedroom door open, but Harry is lying on the bed again. He knocks on the doorframe. 

“Hey, baby, are you alright?” He asks softly, not wanting to wake Harry up in case he has already fallen back asleep. 

But Harry turns his head towards him with a tired smile. “Yeah, just needed the bathroom. Come here?” He asks, making grabby hands at Louis. 

Louis doesn’t need to be asked twice. 

The scent lingering on the hallway was nothing compared to how strong it is once Louis steps inside the room. It’s sweet and unguarded, making Louis’ inner wolf feel a new wave protectiveness over Harry. He hugs Harry around the middle as soon as he can reach him, nosing the side of his neck to scent him and mark him as _Louis’_. Harry lets out a breathless laugh but tilts his head to the side, giving Louis more space to work with. 

Louis settles them on their sides and burrows himself against Harry, trying to mingle their scents until his instincts are soothed that his mate is alright, even if he spent his heat alone. As his arms caress Harry’s back, Louis can smell the shift in Harry’s scent, but he holds back from acting on it even if his body reacts to the new waves of lust coming off from Harry.

They stay like that, even as their bubble gets denser. Louis chastises his Omega into staying still; being this close to Harry and getting to scent him so intimately is enough for now. 

It’s a few minutes later when he can hear and feel Harry huff against him. He doesn’t have time to fully move his face away to ask Harry what’s wrong before Harry rolls onto his back and pulls Louis on top of him, caging him between his spread out legs with his arms crossed behind Louis’ neck. There’s a new wave of pheromones directed at Louis, expressing that Harry is distinctly aroused. 

“Harry,” Louis tries to warn him off, but Harry starts kissing his neck in reply. “Harry, what are you doing? Babes, you just came off heat.” 

“Want you,” Harry mumbles against his skin, rutting his hips softly against Louis’. 

“Harry, no. You’re in –” 

“No...” Harry whines and stops his movements. He lets his body sag against the mattress, putting some distance between them and looking at Louis’ face seriously, “You can smell me. You know I’m not in heat. I want this. Me. Not my hormones or whatever.” 

Louis is taken aback by Harry’s tone and complete change in demeanor. He inhales deeply, trying to catch the details of the pheromones in the air. Harry is right; he doesn’t smell like heat. Sure, he is enveloped in remnants of heat, but it is clear he isn’t under its active influence anymore. 

The realization must’ve shown in his face, because Harry takes advantage of the fact Louis doesn’t pull away to nose against his jaw, trailing kisses down as he scents Louis back. Louis lets himself touch Harry’s body, hand exploring the naked torso as he becomes aware of the need building up inside himself as a result of Harry’s scent and actions. 

Harry grabs the hem of Louis’ shirt, trying to pull it off, so Louis tosses it on the floor before he moves to hover over Harry. He puts his weight on an elbow and uses his free hand to caress Harry’s chest, stopping to rub a nipple with the pad of his thumb to watch it harden, and Harry squirm. 

“I’ll take care of you, alright?” Louis asks softly. 

Harry nods, breath coming out in puffs already, anticipation and excitement clear on his face. Louis leans down to kiss him and adjust their positions. He grabs Harry’s leg from behind the knee and bends it, giving him better access and making their crotches line up. Harry moans into their kiss, but doesn’t break it, so Louis keeps up his steady strokes of tongue in his mouth while starting up a lazy rhythm of rutting. 

It is deliberately unhurried and languid, like Louis wants their first time together to be. Harry thrusts up to match Louis’ pace and kisses him back, but doesn’t ask for more just yet. Louis can smell the obscene scent of Harry slicking up and both their precomes gathering inside their own pants, delighting his inner wolf. He stops kissing Harry to burrow his face on his neck and inhales deeply, groaning at the overpowering scent of them together that goes straight down to his dick. 

“Please, Lou,” Harry whimpers, hips losing the rhythm momentarily when he twitches in reply to Louis’ sounds. Louis bites his neck, near the spot it meets his shoulder, dragging another desperate sound of him and more frantic thrusting. “Lou, I need you, please, please.” 

Louis shushes him, “I got you.” 

He climbs out of the bed, ignoring Harry’s displeased noises at their distance in favor of taking their clothes off. He drops his own pants and boxers on the floor before reaching for Harry’s sweatpants and pulling them down his long legs. When they are both undressed, Harry’s legs drop open to give him space to climb between them once again, so he wastes no time before doing it. 

Harry hooks his calves together behind Louis, bringing him closer, like he couldn’t get enough physical contact. More attached like this, Louis gets an even stronger scent, which almost makes him want to give up on slow to just give Harry what he wants. He goes rigid, giving himself a few seconds to calm his pummeling heart so they can keep their pace. He rubs his hands up and down Harry’s thighs, trying to be comforting, but Harry only pants in return, squeezing around him tighter. 

When his dick stops throbbing as badly and he feels in control again, Louis unhooks one of Harry’s legs from behind him and reaches down to feel Harry’s ass. His inner thighs and cheeks are wet, enough that there is no doubt his passing heat has a huge influence on it. It is so sexy, and Louis has half a mind to go down on him, just for a little while, to have a taste before fucking him. He would, if he didn’t think Harry would insult him if he tried. Louis sympathizes with the leftover neediness and desperation that lingers for a day or two after their heats. 

So he contents himself with circling a finger around Harry’s rim and, when it gives in easily, slipping it inside. The amount of slick Harry is producing after a few days of heat makes it so Louis gets in with ease. Harry moans, pushing back against the pressure, clearly wanting more but taking only what Louis is giving him for a minute before speaking up. 

“You can… More. I can take it.” 

“Yeah? Are you still loose? What did you fuck yourself with last?” Louis asks conversationally, to see how Harry reacts to it. He pulls his finger back, coming back with a second one and scissoring them lazily. 

Harry’s breath hitches and he blushes, eyes closing on instinct. He replies in a whisper. “My purple vibrator.” 

“Did it feel good?” He pushes Harry some more as he presses his fingers deeper, searching for Harry’s spot. Harry looks like he is about to reply when he lets out a drawn out moan, accompanied by a multitude of pleadings of _more_ and _please_. 

Louis fucks into him a few more times, hitting Harry’s prostate with intent until he himself can’t handle it anymore. He takes his fingers out and grabs the base of his dick, lining it up with Harry’s entrance. He presses until the head pops inside but stops his movement, watching for Harry’s reaction. When Harry tries pushing back to get more of Louis inside him, Louis leans his weight on the arm propped by Harry’s head so he can push inside smoothly until his pelvis is flush against Harry’s ass.

They both groan at the feeling. The heat and pressure encompassing Louis is overwhelming, and he trembles as he forces himself to stay still and take a few deep breaths to calm down so he can last. After a few long seconds, Harry squirms under him, trying to get him to move. So he brings his other arm up to brace himself and pulls out until just the head is inside Harry and then thrusts back fully in. 

Harry grabs him around the shoulder, letting out tiny whimpers every time Louis is inside him completely. Louis keeps the pace measured, trying to drag out their first time. When Harry uses his thighs to make Louis speed up, he stops inside him. Harry complains at the aborted movement but quickly figures out to let his muscles relax so Louis can decide their rhythm. 

Louis resumes his thrusting, leaning down to whispers against Harry’s ear, “Good, baby. Let me take care of you, yeah?” 

Harry nods, letting his body go even more pliant under Louis’ touch. Louis admires him, flushed red down to his chest, lips slightly swollen and wet opened as he lets out harsh breaths through his mouth. Harry is beautiful, every day. The most beautiful person Louis has had the pleasure of meeting. But like this, he reaches a new level. He can’t believe he gets to see Harry like this. He is the only one who gets to have Harry like this. 

Louis grabs Harry’s hips to change his angle and speeds up his thrusting, trying to give Harry what he wants. Harry mewls, arching up against Louis’ chest and hugging him even tighter, like he is afraid he will fall off the couch. With only a few more thrusts, Harry comes with a choked moan. He clenches around Louis as his cock twitches through his orgasm, making Louis follow suit with his own. The delicious pressure makes Louis feel dizzy as he feels himself draw up and reach climax. He stills as deep inside Harry as he can get as he starts to come, before resuming shallow thrusts to extend both their highs. 

He is vaguely aware of Harry letting out tiny hiccups over the sound of blood rushing in his ears, heart beating erratically. His dick is still twitching as he drags out his orgasm. He looks down at Harry and finds the other Omega breathing harshly, a tear falling from his eye. Louis thumbs it away carefully, making Harry open his eyes to look back at him.

“Okay?” He asks breathlessly, to make sure it was a good tear from Harry. 

Harry nods, letting his body drop down bonelessly on the bed, spent. 

“Perfect.” 

Harry makes a fantastic view, all spent and slack beneath Louis, curls messily strewn around his head on the pillow. He leans down to capture Harry’s lips in another deep kiss. They make out until Louis is too oversensitive and has to pull back to pull out of Harry. Harry makes a little unsatisfied noise but lets him do it, then pliantly lets Louis move him around so they are comfortably cuddling, Harry’s back to Louis’ front. 

Louis rubs his face against Harry’s upper back, fitting it between his shoulder blades. He breathes him in again, just to be able to smell their completely mixed scents in their post sex haze. He wishes it could be like this all the time. But Louis knows how sweaty and gross Harry must feel, so they should shower it all away soon. He tells Harry just that. 

“Soon. Nap first,” Harry pats his arm, patronizing. Louis doesn’t object, letting out a yawn himself. He hugs Harry closer, so there is no space between them, and closes his eyes. A nap sounds wonderful. He can take Harry to the shower as soon as they wake up. 

\-----

As their relationship evolved, Louis felt increasingly settled and satisfied. So much so, that he didn’t realize Harry was bothered about their smooth sailing without discussing matters until it blew up in their faces a little bit. 

After Mel’s first birthday, Harry became a bit more subdued. He was prone to getting lost inside his head and not indulging Louis in as much touching and caressing as he usually did, being such a tactile person. At first, Louis gave him space to sort out whatever was going on, but as the days passed, he got more restless and annoyed at the whole situation. It took direct confrontation from him to figure out what Harry’s issue was. 

Louis almost regretted it, even though it was clearly necessary. It was heartbreaking to see Harry so scared and insecure. Louis wanted to kick himself for not noticing how important it was for their relationship to have very frequent open and honest conversations. Harry had every reason to want their decision making process to be explicit, and not just a follow up of whatever is conventional. That hadn’t worked out for him in the past. 

Harry’s shaky voice pierced Louis’ heart. 

_I love you so much. I don’t want you to wake up next to me one day and realize the mistake you made by accepting a life as my mate by accident, because everyone assumed it and you went along with their assumptions._

It was almost unbelievable. That Harry would think Louis could ever see him as a mistake, when actually he was the best thing to ever happen to Louis. Louis had fought against every single tradition because he knew, in his every cell, that his soulmate would be the most lovely Omega in the world. Finding Harry had felt like the world finally was rotating on its axis. It was like he belonged for the first time, after years of being an outcast. He would do everything in his power to make their relationship work, the way Harry deserved it. 

For a second Louis wished he could give Harry everything: a cute meeting, a first date where they actually started to get to know each other, dozens of more dates after that, courting, sharing their scents with one another, bonding and actively deciding to build a family together. But he couldn’t. Louis would have to try his best to give Harry just as much as he could, given their limitations. 

In the end, all he could promise was honesty and open communication. And as it turned out, with a bit of work, it was enough. 

Louis had still to have his first heat since pregnancy. He worried when Mel turned nine months old and it didn’t come like after his other pregnancies, but Mel’s doctor had assured him everything was just fine. 

“Sometimes the Omega instincts hold back for some reason,” she explained, “Just trust that it will let your heat come when it is ready.” 

Obviously, she was right. It was like his wolf was waiting for Harry and him to finally have that conversation and decide to bond. Not even two days later, he woke up sweaty and desperate, calling out for his mate. 

Having Harry see him through his heat was truly lovely. Which is not how Louis ever thought he would describe a heat spent with someone, but it was true. Harry was caring and sweet, getting Louis to trust him with the most intimate part of himself so easily for those 72 hours. 

It really solidified what they already knew: they were right for each other. 

After that, all that was missing for them to do was to organise their official bonding ceremony. They planned everything, from the bonding itself to their life in the following years. Louis felt weightless, invincible, with Harry by his side. Like everything he ever dreamed of was possible.

So they bonded, and they came home to start the rest of their lives. They weaned Mel from breastfeeding so Louis would be able to have a freer schedule, and at the beginning of the first school semester since then, he started a couple of business classes at a nearby college. 

Right now, Louis is excited. Hopeful for his future in the most wonderful way. He has the most perfect family, a mate who supports him and a whole life of prospects in front of him. Things look bright, and Louis couldn’t be happier. 

He closes the door behind him, dropping Mel’s bags down and heading upstairs to put her down, allowing her to finish her nap from the car ride. Harry is working today, so Louis was responsible for taking the pup for her 18 months check up. It is crazy: how has it been 18 months already? It feels both like a lifetime and like no time at all has passed. 

And more than one year and a half of their child, 18 months of Melanie meant that it has been one year since Harry and Louis started dating. 

Louis knows, objectively, that it is not an important celebration in their customs. Their bonding date was considered their anniversary. But he wants to do something special all the same. One year of being able to properly call Harry his, to kiss him and touch him to his heart’s desire. It is a lot to celebrate, in Louis’ opinion. So he organized for Connor to take Mel for the night and made a reservation in the restaurant downtown with the tiramisu that Harry likes best, wanting them to have the whole night to exclusively enjoy each other’s company. 

Louis and Connor told Harry that Louis would loan him some books, so Connor is coming over with Harry after work. They are due in an hour, so Louis takes a quick shower and gets Mel ready. He’s just about done when he hears the front door opening and Harry calling to him. 

He makes his way down, pecking Harry on the cheek quickly when he gets to them. 

“Hey, baby,” Louis quickly pecks Harry on the cheek. “Hi, Connor.” 

“Hey,” Connor half-waves to him before taking Mel from his arms. 

Harry watches them confusedly. “Why are you and Mel all dressed up?” 

“Mel is going to have a fun night with Uncle Connor,” Louis tells him, trying to give him an innocent smile.

“Yes, we will throw a rave without dads around to stop us,” Connor agrees playfully. 

“Oh?” Harry looks back and forth between them, lines on his forehead not easing with Louis’ unclear explanation. 

Louis can practically see the wheels turning in his head trying to figure out what’s happening and he laughs at the endearing sight. He pulls Harry towards him, giving him another quick kiss before pushing him towards the stairs. “Go get ready, please. I’ll help Connor with Mel’s car seat.” 

He distracts himself by talking to Connor as they get Mel ready to go with him, and making sure he has all that’s needed for a night and that he knows he can call anytime if he needs. By the time Connor practically shoves him back inside the house, reassuring him that he is more than capable of caring for a toddler for one night, Harry is coming down the stairs, wet hair curling at the nape of his neck and sheer shirt half unbuttoned. Louis’ mouth waters at the sight. 

“You look really good,” he states earnestly. 

“You do too, my beautiful mate,” Harry throws his arms around Louis’ neck, “Are you going to tell me what we’re celebrating?” 

“One year since our first date,” Louis finally tells him. 

“Oh my God, Lou,” Harry gasps. “I didn’t remember, I’m so sorry!”

Louis just laughs and hugs him closer. “That’s okay, I know our anniversary is on our bonding date. I just wanted to surprise you with something special.” 

“I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

They smile at each other, silly but utterly in love. Louis wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“C’mon, we have a reservation.” He steps away from Harry’s embrace, taking his hand to guide him outside. 

They hold hands over the console the whole drive over to the restaurant, and then up to the doors. They stop at the reception, waiting for the hostess to help the couple in front of them. Another one stops right behind them, Harry turns to look at who it is and his whole body tenses. There are slight panicked pheromones going Louis’ way, so he instinctively steps closer as he turns to see who provoked that reaction from Harry. 

Louis is faced with a middle-aged couple scowling at them. 

“Harry, what a coincidence.” The woman says distastefully. 

“Agnes, Peter, hi. Yes, a coincidence indeed. How are you?”

“Oh, we’re all just fine. Who is this, then?” 

“Louis Tomlinson,” Louis thrusts a hand to introduce himself, not understanding what’s happening. 

Neither the woman nor her mate take it, and they don’t control the disgust in their faces at the prospect of touching him.

Louis lets him hand fall back to his side. 

“The surrogate?” The man speaks up for the first time. 

It comes out as such an accusation that Louis opens his mouth to tell that man off, because who does he think he is to speak to them like that? But Harry acts faster, taking Louis’ dropped hand and intertwining their fingers once again. “My mate, actually. But he used to be my surrogate too.”

“Well, now that explains why my Nicky left the pack like he did.” 

Harry’s hold on Louis’ hand tightens just as the realization about who it is standing in front of them hits Louis.

“No, ma’am, it doesn’t. The reason your son left his mate with his unborn child is because he is a cowardly, irresponsible Alpha. It has nothing to do with Harry or me.” 

“How dare you —,” 

“Good evening, may I help you?” A voice from behind them interrupts the woman’s retort. 

Louis turns and sees the hostess smiling widely at them, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Louis smiles back, “Yes, we have a reservation under the name of Tomlinson.” 

“Oh, table for two. Sarah will be your waiter here today and she will show you inside.” The hostess hands two menus to a woman standing right next her, still smiling. 

“Are you going to let them in?” Agnes asks over them loudly. 

The hostess remains smiling. “Of course, they have a reservation. Mr. and Mr. Tomlinson, if you could please follow Sarah inside.”

“Yes, yes,” Louis reassures her. He gives Agnes and Peter an exaggerated smile of his own. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Grimshaw.” 

He takes his hand from Harry’s and puts it on his lower back, guiding him inside without giving the older couple another glance, trying to avoid more confrontation. He smiles gratefully at the hostess when they pass her and greet Sarah, who watches them amusedly as she takes them to their table. It’s a booth and Harry slides in next to Louis instead of across from him, keeping their bodies close. Louis frowns worriedly, sliding an arm around Harry’s back. 

“I’ll give you a few minutes before I come to take your orders.” Sarah tells them politely and quickly leaves them alone. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Louis asks Harry quietly, turning his body to face Harry properly. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry they ruined our date, Lou,” Harry whispers, as if that is the appropriate response to what Louis asked.

“None of that, Harry. It wasn’t your fault and it definitely didn’t ruin our date. Unless you’re upset. Then we can leave, it’s no problem.” 

Harry doesn’t immediately reply, so Louis brings a hand up to play with his curls, hoping the gesture brings him some comfort. 

“I’m not upset… I just wasn’t expecting it. I mean, it’s been almost two years since Nick left and I haven’t seen or heard from them at all ever since, you know? I guess I forgot it was a possibility.” Harry lets out a long breath. “And I guess I’m a bit incredulous too? They know they have a grandchild and they don’t even care. They didn’t ask how she is doing or if I need anything for her. How can they be so… Cold and heartless?”

“Yeah, I don’t understand it either. I –,” Louis cuts himself off, not wanting to follow that strand. “But I’m also glad they won’t be in Mel’s life, influencing her with their hatred and ignorance.”

“Me too. I am too, I promise. I love our life, and our family. I wouldn’t have it any other way. And I’m kind of relieved to know for a fact that we don’t have to worry about them wanting to come into our lives anytime soon. But still…” 

“Yeah, it’s hard to swallow their disinterest when Mel is just a baby who never did anything to deserve anything but love.”

“Exactly.” Harry nods. “Thank you for defending me, though, it was very sexy.” 

Louis lets out a surprised laugh at that. “You’re welcome, love. It was actually my pleasure to reprimand that prejudiced...” Louis lowers his voice, “bitch.” 

Harry starts giggling, covering his mouth as he looks at Louis’ wide eyes. 

“Louis!” He chastises. 

“I’m not even sorry I used that word,” Louis tells him jokingly. 

They burst into a new fit of giggles together, and Sarah chooses that moment to come back and ask for their orders. They hadn’t even touched their menus. Louis clears his throat as Harry tries to reign himself back. 

“Uh, can you bring me a Coke and a glass of…” Louis looks at Harry, but he just shrugs in response, so he goes with his gut. “Do you have any Merlot by the glass today?”

“Yes, we do.” 

“Okay, so a Coke for me and a glass of Merlot for him. Oh, and some sparkling water. We still haven’t decided on the food.” 

“I’ll be right back with your drinks, then.” 

“Thanks,” Louis smiles at her before turning back towards Harry. “Are you happy drinking red wine today?” 

“Yes, you always guess right,” Harry gives him one of those charming smiles that makes him melt. Then it subdues, and he takes both of Louis’ hands in his. “I mean it, you know? You and Mel are… everything. I love you so much, and I am so happy with our family just the way it is. I don’t want Nick back, or any of his family members. I only want people who accept us as a couple in our lives. That’s the most important thing for me.” 

Louis’ heart swells inside his chest and he has to swallow down the emotions bubbling up, making tears gather in his eyes.

Louis could never love anyone the way he loves Harry and Mel. And having Harry reassure him that he feels the same, that Louis is enough for him, makes Louis warm with the knowledge that what they have is forever. No one can take his family away from him, because he has chosen them and they have chosen him. There will never be anger or shame in their home; only love and support. 

“I’m glad, love. That’s the most important thing for me too. You and Mel gave me all that I’ve ever dreamed of. I’ll forever try to make you as happy as you make me, and not let anyone bring you any pain or sadness.” 

Harry brings a hand up to Louis’ face, caressing it gently. Louis closes his eyes and leans into the affectionate touch, trying to engrave the love Harry feels for him in his mind. 

“I know. I trust that you’ll always do right by me.”

“I will.” Louis promises. “I love you.” 

“I love you, Lou. Happy one year.” 

“Happy one year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anywaysss, this is it y'all!  
> I hope I didn't disappoint those who wanted to read Louis' POV :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read and left kudos and comments before. It meant a lot to me!  
> If this is your first read, thank you for getting here! Please leave some kudos and comments if you've got some time ♥
> 
> [Updated tumblr post](https://vintageumbroshirt.tumblr.com/post/642205999643705344/bear-with-me-by-28sunflowersme-total-word-count)


End file.
